It was our Destiny
by SilverLine3
Summary: "Do you ever feel like there is no one in this world who loves you." Her tears fell from the corner of her eyes making its ways through her cheeks. She lost the supposed love of her life so many times, and now she feared to fell for those green orbs with every single second.
1. Chapter 1

"Caroline, you are getting late." Sarah's voice was on high pitch piercing through Caroline's ear.

"I know, why do you think I am running like a coyote here?" She was grabbing her notes and putting them into her bag as fast as possible.

Sarah looked at her, who was walking crazily from one corner to another n their dorm room.

"We have to shift to the apartments today you know that right?" questioned Sarah.

"Yeah, don't remind me. I will come later, take all my bags and will head straight to the apartment. But right now I can't be late for this class. As my first day, the first impression is so not gonna be the one of being a lazy student, and I don't want to fail my elective class either. So, I will just, rush." Said Caroline breathlessly.

"Who told you to take the literature class? It is so boring."

"Yeah but it will be good for my major, you know. I will see you later." Said Caroline while going out of her dorm.

Being a second year Drama Major, studying in Columbus University, and the founder of endless clubs, she was a bit of an over- achiever. During all her high- school life, she fantasized about coming out of Mystic Falls, and exploring the whole world. Thus, she when people tried to tell her she can't do things, she proved them wrong.

She has spent her 15 precious years in Mystic Falls, a small town in the middle of Virginia, a place she calls home, living with her mother, Liz, who was the sheriff of the town. Although, with being a sheriff, comes the consequences. Most of the time she came to the empty house, wishing that maybe her mom will be home. Sadness drowning her from the inside, but as always, she wrapped herself with the cloud of rainbows and tried to smile like it never affected her.

Sometimes, she wishes she wouldn't be alone in the strange city, away from the two of her best friends. She misses Bonnie the most. And with Elena, things are complicated. But, no relation is perfect. That's what she reminded herself once. However, every time she tried, she was dragged back to the square one, watching Elena being the center of every guy's heart. With every turn of Elena, the whole world moved, and with every attention sticking toward Elena as a magnet, the thorns pricked her like the stung of the jelly fish.

The only problem was her luck to find the one guy, for whom, she can melt in seconds. After all, she was kind of hopelessly romantic. Her record with the previous relations weren't that good either. Every time she was in a relationship, it left her with broken pieces of her heart. From getting fooled by the guys to being the rebound phase, she had seen almost everything. Getting herself involved in being in love with Tyler, the football champ, didn't paid her well either.

Convincing her mom, she spend most of her summer with her Dad and the love of his life, and extended her stay till the end of the year, thus, missing out on graduating from the Mystic High.

There were new problems between her and Elena now, the reason being the named person, Mr. Damon Salvatore. She still couldn't believe that Elena started dating Damon, whom, Caroline hated to the core. The result was their continuous arguments.

It's not like Caroline didn't had the reason to hate him. Just because Caroline had a little crush on a new town boy, it doesn't mean he can play around with her just so he can come closer to the friend she always felt insecure.

 _"He is not a good person Elena." Caroline almost shouted at her when the truth was out._

 _"Caroline, you don't know him the way I do. He is changed now." Elena said trying to convince her._

 _"People never change. Or even if they do they change in a worst way." She replied_

 _"Care, please just give him a chance, at least for me. It's…. important … He is important for me." She said pleadingly._

 _Caroline sighed not knowing what to say. She can never trust Damon again, but she wasn't going to sit idle on that._

 _"Fine…. But if he hurt you, I am going to kill him myself."_

* * *

Caroline was walking fast, almost running from her dorm to make a stop to the café, going with her daily routine. There was a big frown on her face when she saw a huge line in front of her.

"It surely isn't my day." She muttered in disbelief. Standing there, in a dilemma, for the wait time, she never realized when someone, totally ignoring her, cut the line and stood in front of her.

"Hey, I was standing here you know." She said quite shockingly.

"No, you were not." His tone was harsh, to which she was taken aback.

"Uh… yes I was. What you just did is called cutting the line, which is rude." She said without backing off.

"Well, then you should have been paying attention around yourself, rather than standing off the line daydreaming." The guy said in a calm tone.

Dark grey shirt, nicely tucked into his jeans, the long sleeves folded till his elbow, his appearance wasn't that bad from the back. Five feet, eleven inches tall, with the caramel colored hair, he was standing out in the whole town. Caroline was agitated, but it didn't stopped her from wandering her eyes around him. Sad part was she never got the chance to look at his face.

"Well, there is no mark here saying where to stand to be specific." It's not like she was going away without a fight.

It was the one man army in a debate fight, where she kept talking and he never responded. She was about to throw his ipod away, when then reached the counter.

"Can I know your name, please?" the girl at the counter asked.

"Stefan."

"The last name, sir?"

He stared at her for a minute thinking way too deep but finally said "Salvatore."

Caroline's attention was solely concentrated on the said person in front of her. Her thoughts went wild when the sudden realization hit her. Did he just said Salvatore? No, it can't be. He can't be. I am over analyzing.

"Please, don't tell me you are anyway related to Damon Salvatore!" she was standing with her eyes wide, when oblivious to her attention, her own words ditched her and came out of her mouth. Stefan's head jerked in her direction, with a frown on his face turning into a grimace.

"Please, don't tell me you are one of those girls, who adores him." The words were a mere whisper, but they caught up in her ears. His green eyes were staring at her, piercing into her bones. She was stuck in her train of thoughts when she didn't realized him leaving.

"Hey, excuse me?" she called him and he turned around.

"What? Are you just going to stare at me, or do you need something?" Stefan asked impatiently.

"Look, I am getting late for my class, so if you will excuse me, I will head on my way." Without giving her any chance to speak he left her there, dumbfounded.

"Well maybe he doesn't look like the Salvatore, but he definitely got the attitude in his genes." She muttered to herself. Looking at her watch, she took the sip of her coffee, and moved towards her own class.

* * *

 **A/N:** I had posted this fic's few chapters here, but then deleted it. But after some editing, and changing few things I am posting it here again. And I will be continuing the fic.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Summary: **It's not like she is crushed by his aloofness, but it never stops her from wondering "why didn't he went for me."**

* * *

Bags- check,

All documents- check,

Number of boxes- check.

Making a note, Caroline checked each and everything before leaving her dorm room. She has spent her entire one year in this room and she is going to miss every single corner of it, and most of all she is going to miss her roommate, Sarah. This was the day when all sophomores were entering in their second year and thus, getting an apartment to stay. After a lot of search, Caroline had found a decent place to stay which was nearby the college and pretty cheap to stay (well not so cheap, but she had reserved some money from her part- time jobs and plus she was getting a scholarship for her college so she could pretty much afford it).

"Did you packed everything? Since I have to meet up with some friends before that, I will be leaving after a while." Sarah said coming out of the bathroom.

"I still can't believe I have to move again." Caroline said feeling sad and nostalgic.

"It's not like we won't hang out anymore." Sarah said smilingly and Caroline laughed on that.

"Hell, yeah! Do you think I will stop bugging you? That is supposed to be my best relaxing moments of every day." Said Caroline, and Sarah nodded.

"So, how was your day?" There was something off about Caroline today, and Sarah wasn't the only one who picked on that.

"Ugh, don't ask. I just wish that I can pretend it never happened. I just want this day to get over, as soon as possible. Which is by the way on the list of things I can never do- accelerate the time!" Caroline was being impatient making Sarah worried. Caroline didn't said anything after that to her, and Sarah didn't pushed her either.

* * *

 _Caroline looked into her timetable- 2H21. She was looking for the classroom, and her luck wasn't giving her much today. She was late, and was pissed off because of a random guy and now she couldn't find her class. She finally saw the number, and entered the class. To her dismay, the lecture was already started._

 _"Um, Hey were you planning for marathon instead of attending the class?" asked the professor when she entered. She looked at herself and she was soaked in her sweat. She flushed in embarrassment._

 _"I think, I have pissed the guy who creates luck, and so I am stuck with all uncalled events." She said laughing nervously. The professor smiled at her and waved her to take a seat. Without any more thoughts, she took the seat she saw was empty._

 _'So, as I was telling you guys, my name is Alaric Saltzman. But you all can call me Ric, if you want. I hope you have taken out the prints of the courses…" Alaric continued about the topics they will be covering in the semester, and how their assignment pattern is going to be. Caroline was taking notes of each and everything he was saying, but stopped in the middle when she heard someone talking on her side._

 _"Are you following me or something?" she heard a voice and when she turned around, she almost choked on her cough. Stefan was sitting beside her, right there, in a proximity of five inches. She tasted blood in her mouth when she cursed and bit her tongue, for choosing a seat right next to him, without even looking at who could be her seatmate._

 _"I can say the same thing." Scribbling sounds, turning pages, she made more noise than required, mostly to distract herself._

 _"I am not the one who sat next to you. And I am not the one who tried to talk to you in the café for sure. Plus you are Damon's friend." She waited for him to complete his sentence. He didn't._

 _Caroline huffed and looked at him in disbelief. She couldn't believe her ears and her eyes. May be being a jerk flows in their blood. She thought._

 _"First of all, if you don't know the story, just don't jump into conclusions, and second… well don't act as if you know me." She said angrily._

 _"Are you sure those are two different points, or just one point put out in different sets of words." He said raising one eyebrow._

 _"I am sure, that you guys must be having an interesting conversation back there, but may be if you can save those talks for the future dates, there will be less awkward silence at that time." Said Alaric breaking their conversation._

 _Both of them scoffed at their professor, but didn't said anything again. Being the youngest professor in the university, he was an easy going person and so he always crack jokes in the class, making him really famous among the students._

 _Once the class was over, Caroline stood up from her seat and took her bag._

 _"I hope we don't cross each other's path again excluding this class, although I wish I can do that." She told Stefan with a fake smile._

 _"Ditto." That's all Stefan said, and they both went in opposite directions without looking in each other's directions. She couldn't believe she fell for that. Pretty face is not everything for sure._

* * *

"So, I was told to collect my keys from the front desk." Caroline asked the lobby guy waiting for the manager to come.

"Here are your keys. You are on the second floor, as you already know. The lease office will be open from 10 am in the morning to 6 pm in the evening, however, the front desk operates if you have any maintenance issues." The guy said with an enthusiastic smile.

"Thanks" Caroline said smilingly.

"Don't hesitate to call if you need anything. Although I know, smart girl like you won't fell in any kind of trouble." He winked at her.

Caroline gave him a smile, unsure of any reply. She took the elevator and one by one brought all her boxes in front of her apartment all by herself. Well not by herself, but with the help of the lobby guy. He was putting too much work in impressing Caroline. Half of the time guys wanted to give her any kind of help without even when she asks for, to which she always said no, as she liked herself to be independent. The major reason behind this was she had admitted to the situations where people left her without caring for her emotions, and so she always thought that she has to deal with everything in the world alone. This time she didn't said anything when he offered to help. He looked like he was in his teens, and was too much of an enthusiast, so she just didn't wanted to break his heart by being mean to him.

"So, the final box, huh!" The guy said out of breath.

"Thanks for the help." Said Caroline with a genuine smile

"Anytime for a pretty girl like you… oh wait, I am so sorry, I shouldn't have said that." Said the guy apologetically for blurting out the words jumping in his head.

"It's okay. I like compliments. I hope that was a compliment though." She said they both laughed. "By the way I never caught your name?" she asked him

"Kol" he said with a smile.

"It is nice to meet you Kol. I am Caroline." She introduced herself.

"I know" he said and then stopped for blurting the truth again. "I think I should leave before I blurt out anything more." He said and then left.

Caroline shook her head smiling while taking out her keys to open the door.

"You have got to be kidding me!" She heard a voice behind, and felt the sound unwelcome. She dropped her keys at that sound and groaned. "Please, not him… Please not him… Please not him…"she prayed before turning, and was kicking herself from inside for choosing this stupid apartment.

Stefan was standing in front of her, with his hands on his hips, looking at her in disbelief.

"Are you sure you are not following me?" he was standing perfectly calm, taking the support of the walls, arms crossed in front him. He looked her up and down before moving on to stare in her eyes. She could smell the alcohol even from a legible distance.

"Believe me, I am not and I am not even interested in doing so. It's like I am in my worst nightmare, which feels like a never- ending soap opera." She said exhausted and tired. "You know what, I don't want to stand here and deal with your stupid opinions about me, I will go to the lease office the first thing in the morning and change this damn apartment." She said turning around.

He moved towards his apartment, jingling the keys in his fingers.

"I am not doing this for you, okay. I am doing this because I can't stand YOU!" She said angrily.

"Whatever suits you!" he said and closed his door.

She felt her vision to go blurry for a while as there were tears which were developing in her eyes. She was angry and somehow his coldness was affecting her. She hated to be so vulnerable to the world. She threw back her tears inside herself.

"I am so not going to ruin my college life on this." She was left with her own thoughts, going back to the conversations and wondering in the back of her mind, thinking, why he was acting like this.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Summary: **Beauty is a lie. And if you fall for it, you will be burn alive. He promised himself everyday, for keeping far away from the twisted epic love stories. He tried, sucking the pain inside, keeping the tears to fell away.**

* * *

It was a long night and Stefan was tired and exhausted and just wanted to sleep, but he couldn't. He had to get ready and go to his classes and pretend that life goes on. The reality for him was that, the time had been stuck, rather he has been stuck in the past, trying to move on like other normal people do. It didn't felt right to him. He felt as if there were pieces from a puzzle board which were missing directly out of his heart. No, scratch that! They were stolen and burnt and he was left with holes in his heart which can never be filled in. However hard he tried, he was lost.

* * *

" _Aren't you supposed to be on the road, traveling, and enjoying the world around you?" Stefan was walking towards his school, his phone in between his ear and his shoulder._

" _Well I am already on the road, but I can't miss to bug my best friend and tell him to enjoy, which I have been doing for the past years. Plus, how can I pass each day, without being constantly poking you to hook up with the hot chicks around you." Lexi's voice was clear from the other end of the line. Stefan rolled his eyes on that. He always did._

" _Okay, you have two minute to tell me the reason you called. You never call at this time of the day Lexi?"_

" _What, now I can't even call. In which book is it written that a best friend can't check up on his buddy?" asked Lexi defensively. "Anyways, did you have any call from Damon?" she asked cautiously not knowing how he was going to react for her further information. Stefan was confused on her question._

" _No, I don't think he did, and even if he did I don't care. I don't even remember, when was the last time I talked with him? Why, what's wrong?" he was frowning._

 _He didn't wanted to discuss Damon at that time or at any time. He always used to dodge the conversation with Lexi whenever it came to Damon, and she never forced him to say anything more. That's how their friendship worked. They had known each other for about fifteen years now, and she always helped him in sublimating his anger issues. But lately, even she couldn't help him in bringing him out of his misery._

" _Um… I think you should wait for his call-"_

" _Just tell me Lexi, or I am done talking with you right now." Stefan cut her in the middle. He was already irritated by hearing his name, and he just wanted to be done with the conversation now._

" _They are moving in together." There was silence on both ends for a while. After a long moment, Lexi heard the uneven breaths coming out of Stefan. She knew his anger is raising, and she has to calm him down, but she doesn't know how to do that on the phone itself._

" _How do you know? You are not even in the city." His mind was blank. He felt like was stuck and holding his past while his brother was happily moving forward to build a bright future for themselves. He wanted to calm himself down before he pick up a fight with someone and hurt them._

" _I have my resources. Stefan….. Please, as I have always said, may be she was the one, but only for a certain period. You have to move on." Said Lexi softly._

 _Yes, he has to move on. Everybody has been saying that to him lately, but nobody gives a way of doing it. He wanted to puke at the thought of his brother and how he destroyed his life, how he took the most important thing in his life, how he fell in love with the girl he love the most, how his epic love fell for his brother and left him with a broken soul._

" _Lexi, I am running late… I have to go." He cut the phone without even saying a good bye._

 _His mind was wandering in his past when he entered the café. He didn't even bothered to wait and ask the girl if she is waiting too. She was standing a little off the line and he didn't cared much and went straight and stood in front of her._

" _Hey, I was standing here, you know." He didn't cared for anything she said, feeling numb at that moment._

" _No, you were not." He told her flatly. He was trying to calm his heartbeats which were accelerating every seconds, and so, he didn't care if he was being rude._

" _Uh… yes I was. What you just did is called cutting the line, which is rude." She said with a bit of an anger in her voice. Anger….. Yes he wanted to destroy that anger which was destroying him and the girl wasn't helping._

" _Well, then you should have been paying attention around yourself, rather than standing off the line daydreaming." He told her without even thinking. He knew he was going to regret his behavior, but nothing mattered to him now._

" _The last name sir?" The girl at the counter asked him, and he just stared at her in white space. He wanted to rip away that name from himself, and wished to have nothing to do with his family. But, he told her the so- called family name, it didn't mattered._

" _Please, don't tell me you are anyway related to Damon Salvatore!" he heard the girl's voice from his side. His head jerked on her side, showing multiple expressions on his face simultaneously. The girl with the blonde curls was looking at him with wide and shocked eyes. His eyes trailed her outline, and a part of him just wanted to run away and another wanted to rip someone's throat out. She knew Damon, and he didn't wanted any of his so- called people to be around him._

" _Please, don't tell me you are one of those girls, who adores him." The words were out before he could have rationalized it._

* * *

He was sitting in the class staring at his notes, and couldn't concentrate on anything what the professor was saying. He came to his senses though when he saw a movement on his side from the corner of his eyes. It was the same girl, the girl who knew his brother. He can never stop thinking about his brother if he keeps bumping into her.

* * *

"Lexi I am fine." He said on his phone

"Don't lie. You disconnected me before. Do that again and I will kick your stupid ass." Lexi was trying to get through him. She hated him for falling into this pit deeper and deeper each day.

"I don't like it when things get into my head and that's when I start hurting people." This is what usually happens to him next. Guilt taking the place all over his mind, going back and forth on the same event, over and over again. He shouldn't have behaved like this to her, he has no right to treat someone like that.

"I was rude to everyone today." He wasn't though, not to everyone. He was rude to this specific girl, and he couldn't figure it out why. Even if she knew his brother, that shouldn't be a reason to hate her. He was looking at the drink he was having in the bar. It was the evening time and he has all the time to himself nowhere but his apartment to go.

"Well, at least you didn't caught into a physical fight though." His chuckles were humorless because Lexi didn't knew about the girl who was keeping his mind busy since morning.

"It happens when people are frustrated. This is what human nature is all about. Stefan, you are going to be fine, but for that you have to come out of your misery and try for your own good. No one else can do that for you." His nods were empty and he didn't has the strength to say anything.

"I…. I should go back to my apartment, take some rest."

"Stefan?"

"Yes?"

"I have this feeling that everything is going to be fine now."

"I wish you were here."

"I miss you too buddy. Be safe."

* * *

A part of him was still holding on to her, his love, his everything. He knew he has to let her go, but it was as if she was pinned and glued to his heart, and when she left him for his brother, he was left with only the flames which was burning him from the inside and still he was not ready to let go.

He took the stairs rather than the elevator. He wanted to keep walking and never stop, ironically his life did stopped, and she chose Damon over him.

The distant voices were coming and passing into his ears, and when he reached there he couldn't believe his eyes.

"You have got to be kidding me!" he thought too loud to be in his head.

"Are you sure you are not following me?" Calm and smooth, the words were out.

The movement of her lips made him realized that he she was saying something to him. Too much concentration was hard for him. In a nutshell, he did got the gist that it was something related to changing the apartment.

He bit his tongue for keeping himself from saying anything rude again, and managed to go with a thanks. "I am not doing this for you, okay. I am doing this because I can't stand YOU!" She said angrily.

"Whatever suits you!" he said and closed the door, but got a glance of her face. She was about to explode into tears. He didn't know if she did.

He decided to worry about it later.

* * *

He woke up in the morning with a headache. This is what happens when someone thinks so much and doesn't rest even while they are asleep. Up and ready, he opened his front door, staring at the close door in hallway. Shoving away the thought of knocking the door, he just took the stairs to leave.

The voices were clear, and coming out of the lease office. Peeking, and concentrating to hear more, he saw her smooth shape, standing there, bursting into arguments.

"What do you mean you don't have any other apartment available? I said I didn't like the area. So please if you can help me in finding any other place it will be great, it's not like I have stayed here for long, it was just one night." The girl was rambling, to convince the manager. He looked at her with amusement. She wasn't joking about the previous talk after all.

"We have one apartment available but it will cost you about 2000 dollars for one month and that will be for the studio." The manager said.

She laughed in disbelief. "Are you being serious right now? Because last time I check this place was not California." She said crossing her arms.

"Well that's the rate, and we can't do anything about it. I am sorry."

"Eavesdropping is not good." Stefan turned around and found Kol standing there. Ignoring him, Stefan looked back at the girl in the room.

"You should behave better." Stefan frowned in confusion, and when he turned back to answer, Kol was gone.

When she came out she saw him standing right in front of her.

His mouth opened to say something, nothing but the vacant air came out. His jaws were clenched, when he saw her going past him.

"I wasn't being myself lately…. "He started which stopped her on her way, encouraging him to continue.

"And I know I should apologize to you, but I won't. I have some issues which I have to deal with. All I will say is you don't have to go anywhere because of me. And I will try to behave from now on."

He was gone, and she was left there, alone, baffled with the things he just said.


	4. Chapter 4

Caroline stood still at her place staring in the direction for a while. She was still processing the conversation that just happened. Well, it couldn't be a conversation as she never got a chance to say anything, or rather he never gave her a chance in doing so. She took a deep breath and went out of the building.

When she was in the parking lot, she saw him near his bike, but he was standing still. She tilted her head to get a clear view, and saw him staring at his bike questioningly. He was standing with his both hands on his hips with the frowned on his face. She moved a little bit closer to find any clue for his expressions, and when she figured it out, she bit her tongue to hold the laugh that was about to come out of her mouth. Someone had literally dismantled his bike, and left the unbolted pieces over the road. "Serves you best." she whispered to herself with a smug smile, and then started to walk towards her car, obviously crossing him, in the way.

"You must have pissed someone off so badly, that they did this to your bike." Stefan heard her and turned to look. She was trying hard to hold her smile, but was failing.

"Well, hard to say now." He sighed looking at his bike, or to be specific, the pieces of his bike.

"May be I am the one who did it. You should be careful, and behave better with me you know." There was a teasing smile on her face.

Caroline saw his lips curled up a little, but it happened for a fraction of moment. Caroline was somehow getting drawn to the mystery behind the face in front of her. She wanted to turn around and walk away from him, she wanted to be angry on his manipulative apology, but yet, there she was standing with him, trying to ease the situation for him.

"In that case, you should be the one to drive me to the school." He said pointing at her.

"Why should I?" she said, alerted.

"Why shouldn't you?" He gave her a challenging look. "For all I know, maybe it was one of your secret admirer, who saw me behaving like a scumbag with you, and purposely did this." He said teasingly. Stefan saw her smile going away, and he laughed inside his heart.

"Ah ha…. So you do admit that you were an ass with me yesterday!" she said pointing a finger on him.

"Uh, I thought I already did mentioned that earlier, when we were inside." He said with a frown brow. He was back to his serious look again.

"Not exactly." She said looking away. "Anyways, I can give you a ride…. If you want?" she asked him.

"I was joking. You don't have to worry, I…. will manage." Stefan said cautiously. His brain was bringing him to senses, and telling him to stay in his own build in fort.

"I won't bite, you know…. And I am going in the same way. Plus, safe fuel." She said encouragingly.

Stefan stared at her for a while. He couldn't believe the girl had already forgotten how he misbehaved with her, and instead of being pissed, she was trying to help him. He nodded finally and sat on the front seat.

* * *

They were on the road for two minutes, but it felt like ages, when the whole car was filled with an awkward silence. Caroline hated such situations, or when the other person tried to keep to themselves. She peeked at him from the corner of her eyes. Stefan was staring out of his window, deeply in his own thoughts. She couldn't fathom him, and it was killing her to know more, anything about him. She had only one information. He is the brother of infamous Damon Salvatore. She snapped herself out of her thoughts.

 _"What's wrong with me? Last time I fell for a Salvatore, and I scratched myself pretty bad."_ She scoffed at herself.

"So, what do you study here?" she asked, when she couldn't hold it anymore.

"Uh, I am doing a dual degree. So I am taking literature and medical classes." Stefan said without taking his eyes off the road.

Caroline gazed at her with astonishment.

 _"Wow, he must be a genius."_ She thought.

"That's sounds great." She said still not believing the choices of courses he was taking. Science and literature, like two different directions.

Stefan turned around to look at her when he heard the amused tone in her voice. When he saw her face, a smile came on his face. "You think, it's stupid." He stated by looking at her reactions.

"What….. no, I never said that!" she said faster than needed, and Stefan looked down and smiled. He didn't tried to give any explanations, and she didn't asked anything after the embarrassment.

"I will be going to the café, to grab my morning coffee, where do you want me to drop you?" she asked after a while.

"Actually, you can drop me there, I have to go to a shop nearby. So I can take my coffee too." He said.

She got happy to hear that, and smiled at him. "By the way, what should I call you other than 'the jerk from the café'?" She asked him, and he raised his one eyebrow on that. "Uh, it came out all wrong. My foot likes to stay in my mouth all the time, so just ignore my rattles." She said laughing nervously.

Stefan looked at her and couldn't stop himself from smiling. It was a long time since he smiled, since someone made him smile. He looked at her nervousness, and how it was making her all flushed. He was amused at the sight.

"Stefan." He said when he thought she was calm.

"And I am Caroline…. Caroline-"

"Forbes" he said before she could finish it. His smile was vanished somewhere. He looked in front of him, as if a series of memories and talks were flashing in front of him.

Caroline looked at him in surprise.

"Should I be flattered, that people actually know me?" She laughed to lighten the atmosphere, as she could see the change of expressions on his face. He didn't responded anything. Suddenly she felt fear jolting in her stomach. She was frightened to see the look on his face, and dreaded the things he knew about her, which was making him pulling away.

"Did Damon said something about me?" she asked him, her heart beating faster in fear.

Stefan jerked at the name, and was on the verge of losing it.

"Stop the car, I….. I think I can go from here." He was lost in his own thoughts somewhere.

"But I thought, we were going for the coffee." Caroline was confused and feeling a little insulted on his behavior towards her.

"I don't want it." He snapped. Stefan was shaking with little anger now, and he has to walk out of there, before he could control the monster to snap out on her.

"Did I said something wrong?" she asked him trying to reach out for the cause.

"Just stop the car, I am sorry, but I have to leave." Stefan tried to keep it in a normal tone. Caroline was taken aback for the sudden change of atmosphere.

She stopped the car on the side of the road, and without anything further to say, he opened his side of the door and walked away, never looking back at her.

Caroline sat there in shock, and couldn't understand anything that just happened. In a split seconds, their little bonding time went into spiraling and tasted bitter to her.

* * *

Stefan was standing with his hands on his face, trying to calm himself down, but he was failing. He removed his hands and looked into the mirror in the washroom. His eyes were red, filled with anger, with pain, and with tears. He has to vent it out or else he would kill himself. He closed his eyes, and took deep breaths in and out, trying to concentrate on the noises outside.

He had spent all his day in the Skull Bar, missing his classes and missing his life. He couldn't take it anymore, and it went to a drastic end with the last call he received. He was drowned with alcohol, and couldn't even stand properly. He managed to walk out of the washroom, and went towards the bartender to ask him for calling the cab. On the way, he couldn't help but hear the voice which was standing out from the rest of the noise.

* * *

"You need to let it go." Said Caroline, shaking Sarah.

"I can't, why did he do this to me?" Sarah was in tears, and drunk.

"Because he is a biggest jerk of the world who can't see the mistake of losing you and cheating on you. You are better than this." Caroline waved her hand pointing at the glass of whisky that Sarah was holding.

"What you need is some day off from him." Caroline tried to make her friend smile, who was upset over the guy she used to date for a while.

"Oh no, he is coming here and he is drunk." Said Sarah, when she saw Derek, her ex- boyfriend coming on their direction. Caroline blocked his way, when he tried to get close to Sarah.

"Hey, you are not coming anywhere near my friend in this drunk state." Caroline warned him.

"Get off my way, Blondie." Said Derek, and tried to shove her away. But, Caroline didn't gave him a chance, and punched him on his face when he tried to misbehave with Sarah. She didn't punched him too hard, but since he was drunk, he fell in one shot.

"Did I said how awesome you are?" said Sarah hugging her tightly and Caroline just laughed on that.

"Tell that to the boy next door." Caroline whispered to herself but Sarah was too drunk to hear anything.

* * *

Stefan saw the scene in front of him with the blurry eyes. Although it wasn't clear, but it was enough to give him the view of what was happening.

Stefan saw something fly by, but it could have been his imagination. He was too drunk to know the truth. At that moment, the glimpse of Caroline felt like he was looking at Lexi, but there was something more to her. He smiled at the thought of that, and closed his eyes with his phone in his hands clutching it too tight. He felt numb and the noise faded from his ear.


	5. Chapter 5

_"Who are you calling?" Stefan asked, walking towards the school entrance._

 _"My friend. I have been trying to reach her, but she is not picking up the phone." The girl had a worried tone and Stefan furrowed at that._

 _"Why don't you call your friend after a while?" He suggested._

 _"No, it can't wait. I am worried for her, Stefan."_

 _"What's wrong, Elena?" Stefan asked and she sighed._

 _"It's my friend, Caroline. She…. She left the town few weeks before to stay for a while with her dad, and we thought that she wanted to give herself some space from this place, as she broke up with her ex-boyfriend who was MIA until now. We thought that was the only reason, but when I bumped into Tyler yesterday, and the way he was talking about things, I felt something was wrong, and there is more to the story." Elena tried to fill in Stefan. Stefan was attentive to the whole thing carefully._

 _"Don't worry about it, I am sure she will be fine. And if there is something she is hiding, then you can only wait till she tells you by herself, right?" His warm smile was making the effect on Elena._

 _"Yeah I think you are right." Elena said while keeping her head on his shoulder. Stefan loved the feelings when she touches him, it gives him warmth and strength. He was mesmerized with her eyes, and her beauty, and above all, her compassion for love._

 _"By the way, is this the same Caroline I have heard so much of a gossip around?" Asked Stefan suddenly._

 _Elena laughed at him._

 _"Good or the bad one?" She asked._

 _"Well, both actually."_

 _"OK, tell me what have you heard about her and I will tell you if it is true or not." Elena suggested._

 _"No. I don't know her, so I am not going to say anything bad about her." He said finally._

 _"Ah, it means you have heard the bad things only. Well she is not an evil or something. She is just…. Caroline. She says what she thinks, and that sometimes makes her a mean girl for others. Me, Bonnie and her…. We are the trio. We have to accept all of it about each other… the good, the bad, and the ugly._

 _Stefan nodded at the thought. He had heard a lot about the girl. Caroline. There was something about that name, it was somehow sticking out in the whole crowd._

 _When he joined Mystic High, he never saw this girl but she was always in the news- The queen Bee of the Mystic High, the control freak, the mean girl left the school…. And things like "she wasn't good for Tyler anyways." "Tyler left her because of her shallowness." Stefan thought that maybe that's the reason she left the town at the first place. She couldn't handle the talks and wanted to run away from this. He felt sad for her even though he didn't know her, he didn't wanted her to feel pain._

 _"Well it's bad that she left before I could have met her. Seems like she is important to you, and anything important for you is part of my life too." Stefan said, while bringing his lips towards her._

 _"Oh, I will introduce you to her. It's not like we are running away anywhere. We are going to be together forever, Mr. Stefan Salvatore." Said Elena, while kissing him back. He put his hands on her waist and pulled her towards himself._

 _"I am not letting you go away from my life for an eternity, Ms. Elena Gilbert… it's a promise." He told her, and kissed her deeply._

Together…. forever…..

Our love is for eternity…

Eternity….. Eternity…..

His eyes opened wide at the echo of the voices in his head. For a moment, he thought it was for real, and he wasn't dreaming it. But it was all a dream. A memory to be specific, which was flashing in his head. He tried to get up, but his head was too heavy and he fell on the bed again.

After a while, he looked around himself. He was in his room, but he didn't remembered how he get back in his room at the first place. The last thing he remembered was that he was standing, or rather was trying to be standing on his legs in Skull Bar. He tried to focus, but his brain was too tired. He snapped out of his thoughts when he heard a noise outside his room. He got out of his bed, and went towards the source of the noise, which was coming from his kitchen. When he got there he saw a girl standing there. He rubbed his eyes with his fingers to get a clear vision.

For a second he thought it's another dream he is having, as he found the girl to be Caroline who was making French toast in his own kitchen. He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out.

When Caroline turned around she saw him standing in front of her, and gaping at her. She has the coffee mug in one hand, and a plate with the French toast in another.

"I think you will be needing this." Said Caroline, bringing the coffee mug towards him. Stefan took the mug, looking at her questioningly.

"What are you doing in my apartment?" he asked sipping his coffee.

He ignored to look into her eyes. His mind was racing in wild directions assuming worst things which could have happened last night. He gulped at the thought that he might have got into a one- night stand, and he didn't even remembered anything. He tried to concentrate hard on the last night's events, but it was in vain.

"Uh, you are welcome, by the way." She said rolling her eyes in sarcasm.

"So, where does your pride stands now? A girl brought you home, after you passed away in the bar." She asked tilting her head and raising her eyebrows.

"Thanks for bringing me here." He mumbled while taking another sip of his coffee. "So, uh… what happened, when uh… I passed out last night?" he tried to asked her the question he was dreading to hear the answer for.

"Well, let's see… you passed out in skull bar, and fortunately I was there. When I saw that you were smelling like alcohol, I brought you here… in your apartment." She said with a matter of fact tone.

"So, that's what happened? Are you sure you are not missing out anything?"

"What do you expect would have happened more than that? I helped you, even though you treated me like a dirt, and you are throwing me investigative questions?" she said innocently. Caroline saw his expressions changed. He was looking at the floor with guilt. She couldn't understand what he was thinking, and why was she even bothering to be nice to him. But, she couldn't let him wasted in that bar, and so she brought him to his place. So much for an unwillingness to not help the person in need.

"I wasn't wearing this shirt yesterday." He said looking at his shirt, to which Caroline raised her eyebrow.

"That shirt was sweaty and smelling like vomit, so I gave you that shirt to wear from your dresser. Are you being pissed because I touched your stuff?" she asked with a raising anger. She couldn't believe him and his arrogant behavior.

"No, no…. I didn't meant that. I mean… never mind," he said unable to explain himself.

"Oh, my… God! Are you imagining that something happened between us last night? Ew, what do you think I am? Jump into bed with someone I barely know and take advantage of him while he is all drunk, and is not even himself at that time?" Caroline started blabbering in one breathe.

"Hey, hey… I didn't mean to say that. Please calm down. I appreciate what you did for me, even though I was such a jerk with you lately." Stefan was looking at the floor.

"Thanks for yesterday." He looked at her finally with a slight smile.

Caroline sighed looked at him. "Look, I don't know what problems you are dealing with in your life, but this has to stop, unless if you want to kill yourself or something. You should have some control on yourself." She wasn't sure how to continue but she did anyway.

"I know the feeling of the temptation, when nothing works to suppress the sadness in life, but believe me this is not a solution. I have done it and it didn't played out well for me. Anyways you should have some rest, and please try to stay away from your misery." She smiled and started heading towards the door.

"I wish I knew how to do that." Stefan whispered to no one in particular.

* * *

"So, how was your night with that hot neighbor?" Sarah ask mischievously.

"Nothing happened yesterday, and nothing is going to happen in the future either." Caroline was looking at the cup of coffee between her hands.

"Why? He looked decent, just a little bit drunk, but who am I to blame him when I was hit with the shots too." Sarah had a teasing tone in her voice.

"Yeah, well he is arrogant and weird, and…. I don't think he is my type either… and there is so much about him which is a mystery." Caroline sighed exhaling the long breathe which felt like she had been holding for a while.

"I have to figure it out soon." She thought to herself. Her phone rang and she saw Bonnie's name on the screen.

"I have to take this call. I will see you later." She bid Sarah and stood from her chair.

* * *

"Hey Bonnie, I was trying to reach you the whole night. Where the hell were you?" said Caroline the moment she picked up the phone.

"Um, Hello to you too, Caroline. Actually, my phone was on silent and didn't saw the missed calls until today morning, and since I was late for my shift, I couldn't call you back. I am sorry. Was there something important you wanted to tell me?" asked Bonnie.

"Um, nothing in particular. So…. How is Elena?" she asked, not knowing how to frame the real question she wanted to ask.

Last night when she brought Stefan home, he was mumbling about some phone call, and was getting uneasy in his dreams. She couldn't help herself in taking the phone out of his hands and look for some clues. Somehow her gut feelings told her to hit the last log button, and there was a call from an unknown number received sometime before he passed out. The area code was from Mystic Falls, and she thought it might be Damon, and she should give him a heads up about his brother. So, she called back on that number and cut the phone when she realized it was Elena's voice. Elena's voice was desperate and she was pleading him for forgiveness. She couldn't rest after that.

 _"Of course they will know each other, she is his brother's girlfriend. May be she called to check up on him."_

 _"But then, what was she being sorry about? What happened between Stefan and Elena that she was being sorry for?"_

The thoughts were fighting inside her head, trying to convince herself but couldn't. She might have heard him calling Elena's name when she brought him home, and couldn't help but wonder why he would dream about his own brother's girlfriend. So, she tried to reach Bonnie to dig something out.

"She is good, busy with her move in." Bonnie said.

"Move in to where?" Caroline asked

'She didn't told you?" Bonnie said in confusion.

"Told me what?" she asked again

"Maybe she will call you today, don't worry. It's her big news, she won't keep you away from it." Bonnie tried to convince her.

"I have no idea what you are talking about. Bonnie just spill the beans." She pleaded

"I can't Caroline, I am sorry." Said Bonnie

"Wait, you said that she is busy in her move in. Does that mean that she is moving in with DAMON?" she asked joining the pieces together. "How can she forget to tell me THIS?" she said angrily.

"Care, I said stop thinking too much, and wait for her call. Please?" Bonnie begged.

"Did you knew Damon has a brother?" Caroline asked finally unable to hold herself anymore.

"Stefan?" Bonnie said suddenly.

"You know him? How…. How do you know him?" Caroline was shocked to hear his name from Bonnie

"Um, he came to live here when you were at your dad's place." Said Bonnie

"Oh, that explains…. "Caroline said to herself.

"Explains what?" asked Bonnie

"Nothing. You know his brother, Stefan lives right in front of my apartment." She told Bonnie, but her mind was still trying to figure out why he would dream about Elena.

"What? Did you talked with him? Did he said something about Elena?" Bonnie asked her nervously.

"No…. why would he say anything about her. Is there something he should have said about her? Actually, now if I remember we never talked about Damon or Elena. And even though he knows that I know Damon, he never asked me how I knew his brother. " Her confusion was all over the place.

"Caroline, promise me you will talk to Elena first, before having any conversation with Stefan?" Bonnie said. She knew if Caroline got any ideas in her head and figured all out by herself, she will never talk to Elena for keeping this from her.

"Why? What are you guys hiding from me Bonnie? Just tell me." Said Caroline irritatingly.

"Its Elena's truth, and she should be the one to tell you Care. I am sorry, but I can't." Bonnie said softly.

"You know what, do whatever you guys want. Looks like you guys are keeping me out of the loop for a while now. I don't know what "truth" you are talking about, but I don't want to hear it now." Caroline said angrily and hung up without giving time to Bonnie for finishing her part of the conversation.

* * *

"You did what?" Damon asked furiously

"I had to Damon. He has the right to know about it. I didn't wanted him to get the news of our move in from someone else." Elena said while sitting on the sofa. Damon sighed and sat next to her.

"How did he took the news?" he asked and peeked at her dreading for her response.

"Not good. He already knew about it. He feel nothing but hate for me, Damon." Her eyes were filled with fresh tears now. Damon wiped her tears from the back of his hand.

"Hey, at least you tried." He said softly.

"It's not enough. I love him. We both love him, Damon. And he has shut us out of his life. I want the best for him. "She said in a sad voice.

"I know that. But, I hope time will heal the pain of my little brother." He said wishing things would have got better between him and his brother. "I think your phone is ringing." He told Elena when he heard the ring.

"Hey Bonnie, what's up?" Elena asked while wiping her tears away.

"Elena, there is something you need to know." Said Bonnie urgently.

* * *

Stefan was opening the door, when he bumped into Kol.

"Hey mate, you show watch where you are going." Kol was a kid, and Stefan didn't wanted to mess with him, so he told him a single word "Sorry" and started to move on his way.

"And by the way, I don't want my bike to be touched by anyone other than me." Stefan mentioned it to Kol before taking the stairs, and added "Be careful while you execute your evil plans, kid."

* * *

Caroline was in a deep thought when she heard a knock on her door. She came out of her room to open the door. Stefan was standing in front of her smiling at her shyly.

"hey." He said

"Hey" she said imitating him

"I uh, wanted to apologize for misbehaving with you before, and also thank you for the last night. So, I hope you like it." He said and brought his hands with a box wrapped in a gift cover in front of her. Caroline gaped at her, but took the box.

"I… uh, thanks, but you didn't had to do this." She said smiling at him.

He had the same little smile she saw him wearing the last time they were together… in her car.

"I think we started on a wrong page." He peeked at her confused face.

"So, let me re-introduce myself again. I am Stefan Salvatore, and I have been here for one year, and would like to be a good neighbor." Caroline laughed at him and shook her head.

"And I am Caroline Forbes, I have been here for about one year, and before that I lived in a small town named Mystic Falls in-"

"-Virginia. I know. I know that you are from Mystic Falls." said Stefan before she finished it.

"How do you know that?" She knew he has been in Mystic Falls, and must have heard something about her from Damon or others in the school, but she wanted to know what exactly he knows about her from his own mouth.

"I lived for 2 years over there, moved there when I was 17 actually, when my dad started a new branch of his business over there." Stefan said.

"And how do you know about me just by living there?" she was digging more.

"I have heard about you in school. About your famous organization skills." He said teasingly, and Caroline smiled on it.

"I need a favor from you." Stefan asked, and when Caroline nodded in encouragement to ask the question, he continued.

"In the morning you said that I need to stop drinking, and I am unable to do it on my own. I can't go for a shrink or someone, because, I have some issues with my father, and if he get to know the situation I have brought myself into, he would rather lock me up in a mental hospital. You said in the morning that you had the drinking problems too, but you controlled yourself." He was looking directly in her eyes now.

"Yeah, what can you expect from a control freak." She said laughing nervously. She didn't knew where the conversation was heading and that was making her panicky.

"I want you to help me get through my urges. I saw you last night how you protected your friend, and even though you were in the bar, you had the hold on yourself and didn't lose it even for a second. It looks like you are so good at it, and…. I want to be normal again. When I drink, I get into fights and I hurt people around me. So, I want you to stop me from losing control." He took a step forward and looked in her eyes with hope. "I want you to help me in stopping myself in becoming a monster." His desperation was painted all over his face, his mind and heart hoping, that her answer would be in his favor.


	6. Chapter 6

Stefan was lying on his bed looking at the ceiling blankly. He was thinking of what should he do with himself. Lately he doesn't even know what he says, and how he acts. He just goes on instincts. He doesn't think through anything before acting upon it. That's what he did last night too. He went to Caroline's to apologize, and instead he asked for more. He didn't even realized when he blurted out for help.

She was shocked to hear him. At first, she just stared at him, and he knew the moment, when the words came out of his mouth, she would think of him as a crazy person. And he was correct. She was laughing, (at him? He wasn't sure about that). She assumed that he was just being funny. He wasn't.

He should have let it go with the flow, and should have joined her in her laugh. He didn't.

Instead, he told her that he is serious about it.

She stood there, and her laugh slowly faded away. He cursed himself again.

He knew exactly who she was and where she comes from. But, he guessed that she didn't knew anything about him. If she had known, she wouldn't have been so good to him. According to Lexi, it's kind of a girl code. Whatever happens, right or wrong, the girl will take her girlfriend's side. But, he doesn't know if people believe in such things or is it just a myth as he did heard about a parallel bro- code. Damon has broken that code two times already, so he didn't believe in such stupid rules.

 _"I don't know what to say." She said awkwardly, shifting on the couch._

 _"You can take your time." He told her casually._

 _"I don't know if time is what I need." She mumbled but he couldn't hear her._

 _"I can pay you if you want to make it professional or something." He told her, but when he saw a frown on her face he bit his tongue. He has lost his touch in saying the right things._

 _"I already have a job, well even if it is a part-time job, I have one, and I don't need your money." Her tone was a little harsh than she intended it to be._

 _"I am sorry, I didn't mean it in that way… but, a little extra money won't do any harm." he tried to phrase himself but felt like failing._

 _"I don't think if I can do this. I am not trained in… whatever you are asking for. If you are so willing to spend money on this, then why not go to a professional?" She said after a while._

 _"I don't need a professional. Like I said, I don't want the news to go into my father's ears." He told her_

 _"Why? I can't do things if I don't understand the reasons behind it." She asked finally._

 _"Look, you don't know my father, and it would be better if he stays away as far as possible. He enjoys in ruining other's lives, be it his own son's." he said keeping the truth about his father out of the question. He thought the less she knows about his family, the better._

 _"And what about Damon?" she asked cautiously_

 _"What about him?" he asked her, keeping his voice calm_

 _"Why is it that, every time I mention his name, you jump off the edge? Why do you hate him so much? I know he is kind of a person who can make someone's skin itchy, but he is your brother, and no one can hate their own family." She said. He was going to snap at her but when he looked into her eyes, he saw a glitter of concern, and he couldn't shout the words out. Instead he laughed humorlessly._

 _"That's my family. My sweet, twisted family. I don't like to talk about them, Caroline, so if you can do me a favor and change the subject, it will good." He told her with bitterness in his words._

 _"I am sorry, I shouldn't have ask that question. It's your personal matter and I don't have any right to ask." She said softly. Stefan thought that she might be hurt by his rough tone, but her face didn't have any sign of it. Caroline Forbes, the shallow girl. She didn't looked shallow to him at that moment._

 _"But, you should know, that your brother Damon is my best friend's boyfriend. And I want to be honest with you. If there is some tension between you and your brother, and if that implies that, there is some problem between you and Elena too, then I don't know if I will be able to do this." She told him upfront._

 _For a moment, he felt as if the blood stopped pumping into his veins. He had assumed that Caroline didn't know anything about him and Elena, but now when the truth was in front of him, it was getting hard for his heart to beat every next time._

 _He was aware of the situation, when Caroline wasn't there and Elena couldn't reach her._

 _And when they dated, she wasn't able to get to talk with Caroline so much._

 _But, they are in contact now, and if she knows about Damon, she should have known about him too. He felt a dagger stabbing in his chest and twisting it hard. Elena could have told her friend about the love she used to call epic once upon a time. He thought he deserved at least to be recognized like that. She has erased him as if he never existed._

 _He looked at Caroline and didn't know what to say. He is no one to tell her the truth about her friend. If she gets the truth from him, she will be mad at Elena, and he couldn't do that._

 _He was amazed that even after all of this, his heart couldn't handle to give pain to Elena._

 _"I have issues with my brother, and if your concerns lie with you friend, you should talk to her and let me know you answer." He told her and without any other conversation, left the apartment._

* * *

Elena was looking at her phone, staring on the screen which was popping her name out. She didn't know how to tell her about Stefan. It wasn't so hard to tell her that she dated someone before Damon, but she didn't told her about Stefan, not even mention about him, and Caroline has been in touch for a year now, so it wasn't the matter of not being on talking terms. She can't give that excuse either. She will not get mad at her that she dated, but she will be mad for not telling her. She decided to call her anyways.

"Hey, so finally you remember that I exist." Caroline said sarcastically

"Care, I do know that. Don't ever think that I have forgotten you." Elena tried to convince her.

"Then why do I feel like you are keeping everything that happens in your life away from me." She asked angrily

"That's why I am calling you. I am sorry for doing this to you Care. I am ready to tell you the things that we missed out in the past conversations." Said Elena biting her lower lip in nervousness. She heard her sighing on the other end, which meant that she is ready to listen too.

"Fine, what's the news?" asked Caroline

"I am moving in with Damon." Said Elena with half a smile

"That's no news to me, as I already figured it out Elena. But, my congratulations to you." Said Caroline, still keeping her voice toned down. "However, I assume that's not the only thing you were hiding from me Elena." Her voice was losing the patience.

What is it that you are keeping from me for so long?" she asked her finally.

This time Elena sighed. She had to get it out now. "I heard that you met Stefan." She started and stopped to hear her reaction.

"Yes I did." Said Caroline

"I…. we dated each other when we were in high school." Said Elena. Dating would have been a wrong word to describe their relationship. He was one of her epic love, a love which made her fall in love. There was silence on the other side, she called Caroline's name but couldn't hear anything.

"You dated Stefan?" Caroline asked alarmed, when Elena called her name the third time.

"yeah." Said Elena

"But, Stefan is Damon's brother." Asked Caroline again

"yes." Said Elena. She knew that Caroline is going to judge her, but she didn't knew how to explain it to her.

"So, you were in a relationship with Stefan, and then you guys broke up and then probably you hit your head and then chose to fall for Damon instead." Said Caroline

"You have all the right to be angry on me Caroline, but as I have already asked for more than once, don't be mean about my relationship with Damon." Said Elena

"I am not angry, I am just trying to understand it, that why would you go for the most unbearable person from a less bearable person?" asked Caroline casually.

"Care, it is not….. Wait who is less bearable?" asked Elena

"Stefan." Caroline said while rolling her eyes. "Sometimes he is really sweet and then the very next moment, he reminds me of Damon, just minus the snarky comments Damon love to give." Explained Caroline

"Care, Stefan is the kindest person I have ever met in my compassion showed me what love actually is He can't even hurt a fly, Caroline." Said Elena with fresh tears in her eyes.

"Then why did you guys broke up? What happened between you two?" she asked Elena

"I don't know to be honest. We drifted apart somehow, and I think it destroyed him. I wish I could have done something to take away his pain.

Caroline was intrigued by the truth she heard. The Stefan she met sounds opposite of what she heard of today. She has seen him being rude, getting wasted, and say anything without even thinking about other's feelings. But Elena's Stefan sounded like a fictional character. No one that good exists in real life.

"Sounds like he is really changed." Said Caroline "Thanks for telling me the truth by the way."

"So you are not mad." Stated Elena

"Yup, I am not mad." Said Caroline

"Why?" asked Elena. She knew that Caroline can't handle to be out of the loop, and the way Caroline was acting in the past year has scared Elena and Bonnie both.

"It was your life and you kept it away from me. It's all fine." She wasn't the shallow girl anymore. So, she won't bring her insecurities back in her life.

"How are you Care?" she asked suspiciously

"I am great, as usual."

"You can tell anything to us, you know that right." Elena was not convinced that everything was fine with Caroline. She has grown into herself, which was good. But, somehow she can see a wall she had made around herself in which no one was allowed.

"I know. I am really glad that we talked. Thanks for clearing my mind." Said Caroline.

They talked for a long time that day, talking about college, their studies, parties, gossiping about others. Elena asked her if she found someone new, and Caroline's mind kept hovering around the house across her apartment. She snapped the thought out of her mind.

Stefan was a mess and she was not ready to give in for another mess. It was very difficult for her to come out of her own messy relationship. She won't be able to handle all those pain of a heartbreak once again.

After she ended the call she thought a lot about Stefan's request. She still didn't know how she can help him and was undecided. Her brain was exploding, so instead of hitting around the bush, she decided to take a walk outside. She can grab a coffee on the way then.

* * *

Stefan was taking a walk in the park when he saw a little girl sitting on the bench and sobbing silently. He went to sit with her.

"Hey, are you lost?" he asked the girl, and the girl shook her head. The girl has a little blonde curls, which were bouncing on her shoulder. She was wearing a pink dress with laces on it. "What's your name?" asked Stefan softly

"Emma and I hate my brother." The girl said.

"And why is that?" asked Stefan

"Because, he took my doll and broke it." Emma said with a little anger. Stefan chuckled to that.

"Well, you can get a new doll." Suggested Stefan

"No, that was a gift from my _Dad_. I will never forgive him." Emma frowned.

"I am sure he can buy you a new one, but the relation with your brother is special. Don't ruin it for a doll." Stefan said

"You don't know my brother, he can't see me happy." she was in a full complaint mode.

"Sounds like my brother." Muttered Stefan.

"Do you hate your brother too?" the little Emma asked Stefan. The question had strong stinging effect on him.

"No one can hate a brother, you know." He told Emma, thinking about a similar conversation not long before. But in reality he did felt anger and hatred not only for his brother but the whole world.

"I am sure he will come to his senses. But, until then you can have this." Stefan took out an angel hairpin with stone glistening and shining in the dark.

"When my mother died, she came in my dreams as an angel and said that this will always bring my wishes come true, and it will always protect me." Said Stefan giving the pin to her.

The pin belonged to his mom, who died when he was 9 year old. He always kept that thing with him. When his friends got to know that he carries a girl's hairpin, they usually laughed at him, and he always tried to suppress his cries.

But, then it was always Damon who used to come for his rescue. He encouraged him to do what his heart said. Damon told him, to keep the pin or whatever that makes him feel that his mother is still with them.

Sometimes he misses the brother he used to have, who was always there to fight with him as well as fight for him. He didn't know where did he lost his Damon. How did it turned so twisted that, he never wanted to be in his so-called family now.

"I can't take this. What if you need the luck and protection?" the girl had stopped crying now.

Stefan smiled at her and said "I don't need the luck anymore. My mom told me that when my wishes will come true, I have to give this to a pretty little girl whom I will meet in the park. And she also asked me to tell her to keep a smile on her face." Stefan smiled and winked at her.

The girl just giggled at that, and kissed him on his cheeks, and went towards her friends to play again. Stefan looked at her and sighed. He wished he could go back in time and be a kid, away from all the worries, his miseries, and away from falling in love with someone.

* * *

Caroline was standing behind a bush and was looking at Stefan and the little girl he was talking with. She was having a walk when she heard his voice.

At first, she hid herself behind the bush so that she won't bump into him, but then she stayed there longer than needed, so that she can listen to their conversation.

She was amazed at how a person so blunt and mean can be charming too. She was shocked to see him giving away something belonging to his dead mother to someone else. It was a selfless act she has never witnessed.

Although it was a small gesture, but who does that in this evil century. Everyone is selfish today. Even though he hated his own brother, he didn't let the negativity to that little girl. For the first time, she saw Stefan in a bright light. When he winked at the girl, she was pretty sure that the little girl was blushing. Who wouldn't? Caroline smiled at the thought.

She couldn't resist but to think, if his break up is the only thing which is making him miserable. May be it's because of his brother. But, there was one thing she was sure by now. She can at least try to give him a peace in the battle he has been having with himself.


	7. Chapter 7

Stefan entered his apartment and started removing his jacket, but stopped when he heard a noise from the kitchen. He frowned, and took the baseball bat from the walk-in closet.

He was about to attack when he saw Caroline standing in his kitchen, again. It felt like he has been seeing her a lot in his kitchen lately.

"What are doing here?"

"Oh, hey. You are home." She turned and gave him a bright smile, and then frowned.

"Do you usually walk around in your house with that?" she pointed a finger at his hands, and he put the bat aside.

"How did you came inside my house?" He crossed his arms before asking the question.

"The keys were under the doormat….. What? Everyone keeps them under it, so I just figured that you might too. And look, I was correct." She was beaming at him, and that was making Stefan uncomfortable. He took a step into his kitchen and narrowed his eyes.

"What are doing with my bottles of whiskey?" he pointed in her direction.

"Emptying them in the sink." She said it in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Are you out of your mind?" he said trying to stay calm.

"No, and if you want me to help you, let me do it my way. So, no bottles of alcohol near you anywhere until I say so."

"What?" he thought his shock must be obvious by the amusing look he saw on her.

"Maybe you will understand this, No bottle….. no fights." She was animating her actions with her hands, and that made him chuckle.

"That's not what I meant. They were not some cheap alcohol bottles, you know." He mumbled

"I know, but I figured that since you are so rich, it shouldn't really matter to you."

Stefan sighed and gave up and accepted his defeat.

"This means you are willing to help me?"

"What does it look like to you?" she questioned putting her hands on her hips.

Stefan felt a floating feeling in his chest. Maybe it was something in her words or her mere presence that did this trick today. He didn't saw himself in the mirror at that moment, and so never knew, that, after a long time, he was genuinely smiling.

* * *

 _Stefan was walking towards his class when he accidentally bumped into a girl. The brunette was in her own thoughts, and when she saw him, her eyes went wide._

 _"I am so sorry." They were amazed at how in sync they were, when they said the same words at the same time, even without knowing each other. They felt as if there was an invisible magnetic field pulling them toward each other._

 _"I am Elena."_

 _"Stefan."_

 _He had never felt like this before ever. When they shook their hands, her mere touch electrified his body. Her eyes were filled with sadness and mystery, but her smile was shining above everything, and he wanted to know her. He didn't wanted to stay in Mystic Falls, but he thought maybe staying won't be a bad idea after all._

 _"It was good to go out and enjoy a bit." Elena sighed when they reached on the front porch of her house._

 _"I am glad, I was able to make that happen." Her smile made him smile more. It was a long time since he broke up with Katherine, and since then he never knew if he will be able to feel again. He was happy to meet her after all. He took a step forward, and leaned towards her. When his lips touched hers, he was sure about her. He was sure, he will do anything for this girl. Maybe she was his true love, and he will always protect it, keep it safe in his arms._

 _With every breath he took with her, it felt like heaven. Her every touch, her lips, her skin felt so soft and addicted. He never thought that someone can find their epic true love so easily._

 _"Stop staring. It's creepy." He told her, his eyes were still shut._

 _"How do you even know that I am looking at you?"_

 _"I don't have to see you to know that."_

 _"It's not staring, it's gazing and it is romantic."_

 _She had the power to make him feel dizzy, and that made him happy. Finally, he was happy._

 _"What about a romantic kiss then?" he opened his eyes and pulled her towards himself._

 _"I won't be able to live without you, Elena. Please, never leave me?"_

 _"I promise I will never break your heart like Katherine did. Our love is eternal Stefan." Elena's sincerity was enough to make him forget the rest of the world._

* * *

"There is a reason for keeping a cellphone, Stefan Salvatore, and when it rings, it asks you to take the call. Why the hell did it took you so long to respond?" Caroline was getting impatient with Stefan's behavior.

"I was in the gym Caroline. I just saw your call, is everything fine?" Stefan was done with his pushups and was heading towards the restrooms to take a shower.

"How is sublimating going?"

"Oh its going great, just one little thing though. I was about to throw the weights on someone today."

"Stefan, it's been two weeks, the addiction like yours will take some time to go away."

"It's not working Caroline. It feels like I am at my worst without the alcohol in my system now." He almost yelled at her. It was a stupid idea, he shouldn't have asked her for help, and she shouldn't have said yes to that. He was miserable even without alcohol. And if he didn't get a chance to have a sip, he might rip someone's head out.

"Freshen up and meet me in the library."

"I am tired, and I just want to head home." He sighed while taking out a towel from his gym bag.

"Who said I am asking you? I am telling you that I will be waiting here. Don't be late. Ciao."

Stefan just gaped standing there.

* * *

He decided to go to the store and buy his favorite bottle of whiskey and then go home after the shower, and will text Caroline and will apologize, but didn't realize where he ended up until he was standing in front of the library.

He sighed and texted her _"Where?_ "

 _"Come at D section."_

* * *

Caroline was sitting there with bunch of fat books in front of her, with one of her hand holding her head as if she was trying it not to fall. The view made Stefan chuckle.

"What's with all these books?"

"I have an assignment due tomorrow. And I don't even know what I don't know. Sometimes I just regret my decisions, like taking Mathematics as my elective II, as if I haven't learnt from my past mistakes." When he didn't responded, she looked at him and he was staring at her with a frown look. "I suck at math." She declared.

"What's the topic, let's see where you stuck at." He chuckled and took one of the book while taking a chair across from her.

"You will help me in my assignment?" she questioned him almost shocked.

"Isn't this why you called me here?" he frowned innocently and Caroline just smiled.

"No, silly. I called you because I didn't wanted you to either end up in a bar or nor in the store and buy yourself a gift of your addiction."

"How did you knew I was planning on doing that?"

"I don't know, I just had this feeling. Anyways, are you sure you want to help me in my assignment?"

"It's the least I can do, and plus it might distract me from this urge to beat people." She smile excitedly and Stefan joined her in that smile. Her spunk reminded him of Lexi. She was so similar to her in her charms, and yet so different.

* * *

"You must be laughing at me for my stupidity."

"You are fine, Caroline."

"Whatever, I am just relieved that the assignment is finished."

"I am sorry, because of me you couldn't concentrate on your studies in the last two weeks."

"And because of you, I did finished this assignment so easily. Don't beat up yourself. And why are you being so good to me." She asked while eating her salad.

"I can ask the same question. And….. you remind me of someone, uh… my best friend, Lexi."

"You have a friend." Her eyes were staring at him widely.

"Wow, such a tone of discouragement Caroline. Yes, I do have a friend." He laughed.

"Wow, well tell me about her."

"Let's see… we have been friends since we were kids, I have enjoyed a lot when I was in her company. I can easily talk to her, once I even ran out of my house to attend this concert which was happening in Chicago. I was grounded for 1 month because of that."

"Sounds like you guys had fun with each other. She must be close to you?"

"What do you mean?" he frowned

"You seems like a guy who keeps to himself, and doesn't open to others. So, I assumed she must be pretty special friend." She smiled.

"She is my buddy. She has seen me in going through hell and coming back to my own senses. She helped me at the time when I was at my worst. I had this drinking issue when I was in my teens, and she helped me in getting through this. Sometimes I think she is the only person who can drag me back from letting me giving into my inner demons." He looked down at his hands folded on each other on the table. He felt a soft touch, and looked at her, when she held his hands in hers, and squeezed.

"You are lucky, that you have a friendship like hers. Very few people in this world get such kind of pure relation." Their eyes were locked for a moment, but Stefan looked away when he realized that he was gazing at her.

"Why did you started drinking before?" she asked him suddenly

"I don't know. Maybe to suppress my anger and frustration." He stopped and didn't wanted to tell her about his dark past, but when he looked into her expectant eyes he couldn't hold himself.

"I was in love with this girl, Katherine, before moving to Mystic Falls. She was new in town, and I was, I was just naive. I didn't know when I fell for her. Every guy was blinded by her charms, and her beauty. I always felt proud of myself that she chose me out of every other guy. But, I was a fool and didn't know that it was nothing but manipulation. She was older than me, and experienced, and was just toying with my feelings. It hit me hard when I walked onto her, sleeping with my own brother." She almost gasped hearing everything and he realized he gave too much of the information from his personal life. But he couldn't stop himself in letting her know about his past.

"Did Damon knew that you guys were dating?"

"Yes, I guess. I was so devastated by that and couldn't hold myself. I was so drunk that I almost killed my classmate. My father was not so happy with me, and he was beating me to death, when Damon came and saved me. I hated Damon because of everything I saw. Lexi was the only person who brought me back to my own self, and I realized that I was not the only one Katherine was toying with. She played with both the brothers like we were some dolls from her playhouse."

"I am sorry to hear that." The sadness in his voice, was making her hands itch to hold him in her arms, so that he can forget the evil he has seen.

"Don't be, I don't care about it now. She was never in love with me, and I am over her now." he gave her smile which was nothing but an empty assurance. Yes, he might not be thinking about Katherine, and was over her, but he was in pain because of another loss, and yet again it involved his own brother.

"I am sorry, I bored you with my tragic life." He laughed sadly

"You know if you want to talk to someone about this, you can talk to me. Even though I am not Lexi, I am here to listen." He just smiled at her words. He had smiled more in the last two weeks than he did in last few years.

"Can I ask you something?" the question was bugging him since she came to visit him and declared her willingness to help him.

"Sure."

"What changed your mind? I am sure you were not in agreement with me, then why did you decided to help me in the end."

"I don't know. Maybe I just wanted to help you save yourself. I know how it feels to lose a love just like that."

"You talked with Elena." It wasn't hard for him to deduct that. It was all over her face, and both of them couldn't get how they were able to read each other so easily.

"Yeah, I did. But, don't worry I won't change my mind. I don't give up when I take things in my own hands." she tried to lighten him up with her laughs, and it did the trick to some extent, but it was not enough.

"Let's go home." He said while signing the check, and stood up to walk away. It hit Caroline so bad, that she fell again.

After trying so hard, she lost it, again. She was seeing the wall around his heart getting some cracks, but because of her stupid mistake of bringing Elena in the conversation, it was up there again.

When she turned around, he was gone. He was just a stranger whom he came to know like few weeks before. Then, why was it hurting so much, she couldn't analyze that.

* * *

He was standing outside, staring on the roads.

"You are still here. I thought you left." She approached him

"And let you walk home all alone, in that deserted street? I said "let's go home" and not "I am going home". There is a difference, Caroline."

He didn't know why he stopped outside, but he did. He convinced himself that he was being selfish to be around her, because somehow she had this power of taking away his anger. And at that moment, because of all those memories flashing in front of him, the chances of his demon taking over on his thoughts were highest.


	8. Chapter 8

"So what are we doing here again?" Stefan looked around himself in the Harold's Family Dairy which was filled with nothing but silence, except for her voice which was clear like a crystal in his ears.

"We are celebrating." She was too busy in eating her chocolate fudge ice-cream that she missed to hear his chuckles and see the amusement painted on his face.

"But I don't even like ice- creams." His mumbles were followed by her choking sound.

"Who on earth wouldn't like ICE-CREAMS?" With wide eyes, she kept her hand on the left side of her chest, as if holding her heart there.

"Oh wait, I will answer. It's the person who doesn't like _anything_." He didn't know how, but slowly smiling around her was becoming easier. He chuckled shaking his head.

"Hey, when did I said that I don't like _anything_?" His argument was baseless, but he has started liking how she widens her eyes when he says something like this, or when he denies her requests, and she, she just starts talking, and in between all those constant talks of her, he is already convinced.

* * *

 _The banging was not that loud, but loud enough to break his sleep. He peaked from his open eye slightly open, and groaned._

 _12 a.m._

 _It wasn't that late, but he was tired and exhausted and just wanted to sleep._

 _The knock came again. This time a little louder than before._

 _Throwing away the sheets, he stood up, and went to open the door. Whoever this was, he was not sure how was going to keep himself from shooting them._

" _Hey!" Caroline was almost jumping on her heels, when his eyes adjusted to see her clearly._

" _What the-"_

" _I passed"_

" _What?"_

" _I passed my Mathematics exam. Not just Passed, but I got an A."_

" _Um, congratulations." He was rubbing his eyes, still in the sleeping zone._

" _Thank you very much. And NOW we have to go out." He should have been smiling for her. Instead there was a big frown on his face._

" _Why are you looking at me with your serious broody look?" she asked him when he was lost in his own thought._

" _My wha…. my serious broody look?" He was snapped out his senses when heard those words from her._

" _Yeah, it's kinda different from your regular frown look, and neither of which stray too far from "hey it's Tuesday look."_

" _Ah, I get it. You think… you think I am too serious." He pointed his index finger on her._

" _Well, I wasn't gonna say it like that!" she flipped her hair over shoulder in style, amusing him all of a sudden._

" _It's midnight Caroline. We will go later." He was about to go back inside his apartment, when she stopped him by grabbing his hands._

" _I am not taking a no for an answer, Stefan."_

Few minutes later, they were there, eating the ice-cream. More like she eating and he looking at her enjoying her chocolate fudge.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For helping me in my studies." He gave her his usual smile, and her grin became wider.

* * *

"Well at least you pick my calls." Damon had his same old smirk on his face.

"Yeah, but after this, I have to sanitize the phone." Lexi had never liked Damon. Why would she? She never had a good vibes from him.

"I want to talk to my brother."

"And he doesn't."

"I know that Princess Warrior. I need your help, so that I can talk to him." Lexi was already getting pissed with his overly acted comments.

"If you really want to talk to him, then work hard on your talking skills, Damon."

With that the line was dead. He cursed on the phone in his hand. He was being selfish. But when he wasn't? But he needed him. His little brother. He wanted both worlds at once in his grasps. And he has to find a way of doing so. He doesn't wanted his brother to hate him even more. After all, Caroline was there too.

* * *

 _She was drunk, too drunk and her head was spinning._

" _Are you sober yet?" Bonnie asked while giving her another cup of coffee. Caroline brought her head up to look at her._

 _After staring at her for a second she replied with a no, and went back to holding her head in position._

" _Keep drinking, I have to get you home. I have to get me home." Bonnie asked her with an understanding look._

" _Why is it always has to be Elena?" she raised her head again, but this time she had those burning questions coming out of her mouth._

" _She is always the center of everyone's world. And I try so hard, but I am never the one."_

" _Caroline, I am not touching this topic. And this isn't a competition." She had a warning look._

 _Caroline knew her friend was going to say something like this. She was trying to be neutral._

" _Yeah.. it is." Nobody was understanding the deep rooted insecurities she had, not even the best friends she had. Instead they were making it even worse for her._

 _Bonnie went to the washroom, when she saw him. Black jacket, black shirt, black jeans. Even his hair was as black as the raven._

 _There was a sly smile on his face, staring at her. She smiled back. Her heart was racing. The guy was really good in his looks._

 _He stood up from his stool and walked towards her._

" _What a girl like you, doing here, all alone by yourself?" She was already standing, almost walking to look for Bonnie, when she met him._

" _Well, the world is cruel."_

" _It is. Indeed." They didn't talked much, but she was impressed, pretty much. Maybe it was too much alcohol in her system that was blocking her senses._

 _Bonnie came before he could have made his move. She took Caroline's hand and led her the way out._

 _They were gone. Both the girls. But the devious smile was still there on his face._

 _He was Damon Salvatore, and he knew his plan was definitely going to work._

* * *

"Elena, what are you doing here?" Bonnie was almost shocked to see her friend so early in the morning.

"So I can't even come to see my friend?"

"No, of course you can come." Bonnie knew something was bugging Elena. But, exactly what, she couldn't pin point that.

"So how is work going?"

"Grill is not opened yet. But it will be filled pretty soon." Bonnie said waving her hand around her.

Elena gave her a half-hearted smile. By this point, Bonnie was pretty much convinced that something was wrong.

"Elena are you going to tell me what's wrong?"

Elena sighed and looked in her friend's eyes, which were filled with nothing but worry.

"Okay, no questions asked after this. I have booked two tickets so we will be leaving tomorrow." Elena announced.

Bonnie stood there, raising her one eyebrow in question.

"Going where?"

"Columbus."

"But, why?" Bonnie couldn't help herself in asking this.

"I will tell you in the way."

* * *

He was just sitting on his chair when he heard her. The shrieks. His name was in the air. For a second he thought his ears were ringing. But, when he heard it on the third round, he was on his feet, walking faster than ever.

"Caroline?" He tried to knock, but there was no answer. Convinced that, she isn't home, he started to move back.

"Stef-… Stefan? Is that you?" Her voice was low. Definitely in pain.

"Yes. Caroline, are you okay? I… uh heard you-"

"Yes I called you. What took you so long?" Even from outside he could hear her difficulty in breathing.

"Caroline, I am here now. Open-"

"The door is open. Now just come in." She was impatient and was not giving him chance to complete his own sentences. Fortunately, Stefan have more control himself, to push away any kind of anger. He was sober.

He was in her house, heading towards direction of her voice.

She was lying in the bathtub, wrapped in a towel, her leg slightly on the edge of the tub. He didn't know if being sober at the moment was good or not.

"I slipped." She said, while looking at him from the corner of her eyes, her wet hair making a curtain between them.

"How did you managed that?" He said while walking towards the tub.

He tried to pull her up on her feet, and she shrieked in pain.

"You, okay?" He asked, one hand holding her hand, and the other one around her waist, keeping her straight on the floor.

"I can see unicorns." Her voice was casual. But she was far away from being normal. His hands were strong, and were around her. Her breaths were coming in breaks, and her heart raced even more when he moved his hands to hold her more tightly and pulled her towards himself.

"Hmm….. so you are fine."

She bumped him with her free hands, and he laughed.

"I am in pain, and you are in a mood of jokes. Don't be mean okay. " Caroline complaint while they walked out of the bathroom.

"I was just trying to make you feel on ease."

 _And I think you did._

She wanted to say that, but she kept quiet.

"We should go to the hospital." He slowly helped her to sit on her bed.

"Well, I can't go like this." She waved her hands around herself. His eyes were concentrating on her face, straining more than it should have been for keeping them locked in her eyes only.

"Uh, yeah… sure." He started looking around, and she pointed at her closet.

"Which one?" he asked while looking seriously inside the closet.

"I am in pain, you think I care about fashion right now? Give me anything. Maybe shorts and a tank top."

He took one of the pair randomly and showed it to him.

"Seriously? This short with that tank?" it was a total mismatch and so couldn't help herself in saying so.

He looked for something else, but she still wasn't convinced.

"Caroline!" He warned her, when even after his ten combinations, she was undecided.

"Okay, okay. That once looks cute. I will wear that."

* * *

"Name: Caroline Forbes, Sex-"

"I would like to have it" she said out loud without noticing that he was still sitting beside her, filling out the patient's information form.

"What?" his eyes were in shock.

"What?" she mirrored his look when she realized that those words literally came out of her mouth? He didn't pushed it though. It's not like she mentioned his name or something. So, he let it slip and went back to filling out the rest of the inquiries.

"Why do you keep your door unlocked, while taking showers?"

"What? There is a question like that?" she took the form from his hands, her eyes searching for the said question, and after a minute she saw him staring at her with amusement all over his face.

"Shut up." She smacked him from the back of her hand, and they both were laughing. And it hurt him. In a good way. He was not regretting it. After a long time in his life, he got a friend who actually made things easier for him.

"But seriously, why was it open?"

"I usually forget to lock the door. I did that even at home too. Maybe because of mom." he raised his brows and she continued, "She is a sheriff. So I think I always felt safe."

"Well, you should lock it you know. The world isn't safe."

"Yeah, but I can take care of myself. Besides, you are across my apartment. So, if anything happens, you would come for me." She teased him.

"Of course, I will." There was a sense of sincerity in his voice when he told her that.

"Mmmm… my knight in shining armor." She stated and they both grinned. He knows that she is just teasing him. And she knows this too. Joke or no joke, deep down, she has started liking the person in front of her.


	9. Chapter 9

_Caroline was walking towards her car when she sensed a chill of cold breeze._

 _"You shouldn't walk alone in the nights like this." She jumped in fear, but slowly her heart paced down to normal speed. She never thought that she will meet this mystery guy once again._

 _"What are you doing here?" she asked him with a little relief._

 _"Stalking you." The answer was straight, making her heart beat faster again. But he laughed it off, and so she let it go._

 _"Um, actually I was hoping if I can see you again."_

 _"So was I." there was something in his smiles which was warning her to turn around and drive far away from him, but she didn't._

 _"Maybe we can have the drink, together."_

 _"You are way older than me." The words came out not for the stranger but to convince her own self._

 _"And you don't care about it." He was good in manipulations, like there was something in his eyes which can compel anyone to submit to him._

 _Maybe this was something good, and she could finally find something, someone who wanted her first._

 _"I am Caroline Forbes, by the way."_

 _"Damon Salvatore."_

* * *

"Seriously?" Stefan raised his eyebrow when he saw her walking towards class.

"What? Now I can't even come to college?"

"Not when doctor has specifically told you to rest."

"Well they say a lot of things. Plus I am fine now. And I have a meeting for charity event that we are doing next week." She was still weak and when she moved it stung her like million needles in her spine, but she was stronger, and physical pain won't let her stop from finishing her unfinished tasks.

"Caroline, there is a reason they call it a twenty-four hour bed rest." Stefan frowned at how careless she was behaving.

"The class is going to start." She walked passed him, and he sighed in his loss. He realized he can never win with that girl.

"Here are all your assignments checked and graded." One by one, Ric handed them the sheets.

When Caroline stretched her hand forward, there was a jerk in her movement, and she felt a jolt of pain cracking through her backbone.

"Are you okay, Miss Forbes?" Ric was confused to see the look on her face.

"I have to go to the washroom."

Stefan looked at her from his seat, his eyes moving in the same direction until she was out of the door. He didn't thought twice, when he stood up to go after her.

She was standing in the washroom, inhaling and exhaling, to let go of the pain. He knocked once, and then when he heard her breaths coming uneven, he rushed inside.

"Caroline, are you… okay?" He looked calm. However, more he saw her face turning pale, the more his heartbeat raised higher.

'I am fine Stefan, it's just a little pain. I must have pulled my muscle or something while driving, and it added up to my injury."

"Caroline, you need rest. Let's go home."

"But, wait. What about the meeting. What am I-"

"We will manage it. For now, just don't worry about it. Okay?" his eyes were sincere when they directly beamed into her. There was a lump in her throat started to develop. The sound of the word "we" was even more melodious when they struck the chords somewhere in her heart and soul. She didn't had anything to say, but smile with admiration.

"Shall we?" She didn't argued this time.

The whole time they walked towards her car, his eyes never drifted away from her, watching her carefully. He didn't wanted to take any chances, and let her fall in the stinging pain once again.

* * *

We reached home, Stefan. You can go to your apartment now. Stop hovering over me." A light chuckle left from his mouth on her teasing.

"I can come inside if you want, you know. What if you need something?"

"Stefan, I can take care of myself, you know. And I will call you if I need you. Now, go." She started turning the keys when she realized the door was already unlocked. When she opened the door her eyes became wider in shock.

* * *

 _"So, where is Caroline? Have you seen her?" Bonnie was worried when Caroline didn't showed up to their regular cheer-leading practice._

 _"I don't know, it's not like Caroline." Elena said casually, while putting the sunscreen lotion on her body._

 _They both gawked when the blue Camaro pulled on their side. They were even more shocked when Caroline kissed the guy on the driver's seat and they both came out of the car._

 _"Caroline, we were a bit worried about you. Where were you?" Bonnie asked while her eyes examined Damon suspiciously. The guy looked dangerously stunning, and it's never a good sign._

 _"Got late a bit. By the way, this is Damon." Caroline started introducing them. "Damon, this is Bonnie, and this is-"_

 _"You must be Elena Gilbert." His eyes were glued on the brunette in front of him. Elena couldn't help but smile at him._

 _"Yes… yes I am." The grin was wide when she looked in his blue eyes._

 _Caroline's eyes were going back and forth from Damon to Elena, Elena to Damon, as if there was a perception of tension between them._

 _"Damon, let's meet after my school when I will be free." Caroline's voice was enough to break their stares._

 _"Sure, babe." He kissed her and drove back with a smirk on his face._

 _"Isn't he a little older for you?" that was the first thing Elena asked her._

 _"And I should care for it because…?"_

 _"Because, it is unlawful."_

 _"Elena, I will take the boyfriend advice from you if I would need it. For now, let's just… concentrate on the practice." With a smile on her face Caroline went forward to give the commands to the girls._

 _Bonnie and Elena looked at each other, and Elena almost rolled her eyes._

 _"What else could I have expected as an answer from her?" Elena commented and both of them joined the rest of the team._

* * *

 _"Caroline? What happened?" Bonnie was following behind on her trail closer than required. Something was wrong. Her sixth sense which she liked to call as the witch power was indicating the bad omen._

 _"Damon left." Caroline turned around to face her friends._

 _"Did he gave you any reasons?" it was Elena's turn to ask questions._

 _"No."_

 _The instant reaction. Caroline didn't know how much she could tell them, or trust them for not telling her mom. So, she let it slip._

 _"It's a good thing Caroline. He wasn't right. Anyway you knew him for just one months or something." Elena's words felt like coming from far away in her trance._

 _"I know." And she knew, but still, it hurts to be left behind. But this happened for good, and she should be happy about it._

* * *

Stefan could feel the earth crumbling below his feet, the wave of Tsunami rushing and engulfing him whole, once and for all. He never realized when he stopped breathing, and when he started turning blue. All those memories he has been trying to lock up into a closet came rushing towards him, all at once, when his eyes direct fell on those doe eyes. His sight was dimming by every passing minute, and there was nothing in his hands he could do.

* * *

"Surprise." The words echoed in her apartment, when she entered and was too shocked to even give a response.

"What are you guys doing here?" she still couldn't process the fact that Elena and Bonnie were standing there, in her apartment.

"We are celebrating the day we met and became friends." Elena said excitedly, but her smile started to vanish when her eyes shifted towards him in the back. She tried say something, but he was standing still, and it was making her uneasy.

"Since when did you started remembering THAT. Last time I checked it was my department." Caroline was too excited to see them, and went straight to hug Bonnie.

"Well, we thought that we will surprise you. And, we haven't done this for a long time." Caroline jumped forward to hug Elena next when she heard her.

"Anyways how the hell did you guys came in?"

"Keys under the doormat." Caroline raised her eyebrow on Bonnie's comments. "What? We know you Caroline, and all your secrets."

"Of course we all know the little secrets about everyone, don't we?" Her heart sank in when the source of those words walked out of the kitchen directly into her living room.

"What the hell are you doing here?" her voice came harsher than she thought it could.

"Hello to you too Blondie." Damon as usual was being insolent, and his presence was making Caroline itchy.

"And that is the door, please make yourself comfortable while going out." Caroline pointed at the door, before giving him a fake grin.

"Caroline, please." Elena started, but when her eyes flickered in Stefan's direction, and saw him tracking his way back, she couldn't help herself. She needed to talk. "I will talk to you later."

* * *

Stefan's world started to collapse, when he heard them, both. He wasn't ready for it. He was drowning in the plethora of emotions, when his feet starts to trace their backward, his eyes never leaving her. He didn't even realized when and how he ended up facing her, standing three feet away. He was standing so still, even one minuscule of rift made the ripples in the still water.

'Hey Stefan." He turned back without saying anything, when she called him. He wanted to just continue walking and go into his apartment, but he stopped.

"Its… good to see you, Stefan." Elena took a step closer, and Stefan was getting deeper and deeper into the pit.

"Stefan… we need to talk." Another step closer.

"I don't want to." Stefan's grasp was tight on the knob, with every breath he was holding. It became even more suffocating when his brother decided to jump into the conversation.

"Brother I think we do. It's been a long time." Damon was standing across the hallway, when he decided to intervene.

Stefan turned around not knowing what to say, but he did find a way to finally speak.

"It might be long time, but not long enough for me to forget things." The awkward silence was surrounding them but not for long.

"My brother, who has been my brother for twenty-almost years, falls for the girl who was the love of my life, and she let it happen. Do you guys really think that it can slip so easily? I don't need you both for thinking so much about me."

They both were stunned when Stefan decided to walk away. Instead of going in his home, he took the stairs, leaving them behind, but he knew he could never run from the ghost of his past.

"I think we both got dumped." Damon was the first one to break the silence.

'Where did he go?" Caroline came out as fast as she could in her state of limping with pain.

"I think I should go check on him." Elena was still shocked to hear the harsh words from Stefan and she didn't know how to mend things, to make him stay in her life.

"No, you are not going anywhere." Elena stopped on her heels when she heart Caroline's voice.

"See, Stefan will talk to you whenever he will be ready. Just don't…. push him. Okay?" the words were still not convincing for Caroline herself. She was looking in the vacant space, where Stefan was standing a while ago. She wanted to run and check if he was okay. But, she knew he would have been gone by now.

She didn't know how long she stayed like that, but she couldn't stand there and let herself go insane on the thoughts of different worst scenarios.

"Where are you going?" Bonnie asked her when Caroline took out her keys.

"I will be back soon." She hurriedly took her cell and her wallet with her before heading towards the door.

"But, you are not looking so good. Caroline, you look a little weak."

"Bonnie, I am fine. You guys can make yourself comfortable and rest. We will talk when I will come home." She told them. "And you." She turned around to look at Damon. "Please don't be comfortable _in_ my apartment. And the door is still right there." Damon still makes her blood boil, and she feels nauseated. But, right now nothing was more important than Stefan. She can deal with Damon later. To the way back to her car, she literally mapped out a chart and the places he might go, and from where to start her search.


	10. Chapter 10

_Damon, you don't understand, do you?" His glares were directly falling on the burning flames of the firewood, when Elena walked in._

 _"That's me! taking the things in a wrong way." The ice cube in his whiskey was striking the inner walls of the glass with his shaking of that glass in his hand._

 _"And I won't apologize, either. I will rather die than live my life without you, knowing that this was nothing, and you never felt anything for me."  
_

 _"Fine, then I want to tell you something too." Elena was not going to back. She never did. "Yes you are not the person, I will imagine myself to fell for. You challenge me to question my own decisions, you are not good for me, and I am sure that this is going to be the worst decision of my life, I am ever gonna make. But, I am not going to deny the fact that I love you."_

 _Damon was shocked and euphoric at the same time, and he didn't know how to react at the very moment._

 _"I…. love you Damon." The words were not just words for him, and he couldn't wait to rush towards her, and take her in his arms. He enveloped those lips with his own, kissing her passionately._

* * *

 _That was the only place where he shouldn't be, the last place where he wanted to be. But he was there, standing, still, so still, that he seemed like nothing but a dead body. If it wasn't for that wall, that was supporting the weight of his body, he would have fallen already, physically anyway. He thought there will be an ache in the place where his heart stayed. Maybe because his heart had been ripped apart from his body. He didn't know how long he was standing there like that._

 _"Now, who is eavesdropping?" Lexi's hands automatically went to rest on his shoulder. He held it, tight in his grip. His sight was becoming blurry because of the layer of tear forming in his eyes. He was wrong. The pang of pain was rushing through his blood, passing through every veins. He wanted to shut it off, to put himself out of his misery. It was hitting him over and over again, that he was no one, and he was never the one. He didn't know when and how, but his legs were working. One after another, they moved forward._

* * *

Her first instinct was to check the place he blindly will end up. And so there she is, standing in the middle of the scull Bar, scanning every face out there. But the one she was looking for was nowhere to be found.

Her eyes flickered to a shape which resembled him. False alarm, and she was feeling anxiety now.

She made a beeline straight to the bartender.

"What can I get for the girl?" The bartender was at her side in a second.

"Stefan.."

"Stefan? I am sure there is no drink like that!" He was being overly cute, and it was creeping her out.

"No, I mean, I am looking for a guy. He is around five eleven in height, have the eyes so green, that someone can stare in those for infinite time and will never get bored. But it is not green always. Sometimes it looks more brown than green. Also he has a bushy eyebrows, and most of the times he broods like this." She frowned her brows mimicking Stefan's face.

"Are you talking about that Salvatore boy?"

"Yes! Him. Did you see him here?"

"Not today. He hasn't been here lately. I was getting a bit worried about that boy."

"Worried that he stopped drinking?"

"Worried that his drinking took the best of him." She looked at him for a minute. Blonde, tall, broad shoulder, he was resembling Matt, a lot. Even his eyes were blue, and she wondered if he was anyway related to him.

"Well, if he come here can you give me a call?" She told him while writing her number on a piece of a paper and handed it over to the guy. She looked at the name tag, and said "Alex, if you don't mind?"

"Nice way of giving me your number." He winked at her, and she didn't bothered to respond. "I will ask the other person in-charge and will let you know if he came here." he told her and started attending the other customers. she didn't had time to wait. She has to look for other places now.

After searching almost half of the town, she was exhausted and he was nowhere to be found. But she is anything but a pessimist. And, so, she was going to look every corner of the streets if that is what can bring him back.

She didn't know why but her gut feeling was saying that she will find him there, in the next corner. So she parked the car on a side, and turned off the gas. She took a deep breath, and opened her door.

Disappointment was surely in her bag, because the whole road was empty, and silent. Slowly she turned around, to head back to her car. Her eyes stopped at one of the moving object, and so does her legs.

 _Stefan!_

She was walking fast to reach up to him. When she came closer, she couldn't walk anymore. The shock was all over her face.

* * *

He didn't know how he reached there, and now he was standing in the middle of the Scull Bar. He didn't cared for what training, or what control he was trying to reach at that moment. He just wanted to suppress the emotions.

"What can I get you?" Stefan wasn't paying attention to the bartender.

"Hey. You! Are you all right man?"

Stefan looked at him, snapping out of his thoughts.

"Y… Yeah."

"What can I get you?"

Stefan looked at him, at his face. He wanted to ask, if there is something which can make the pain to go. But, there was something on his face which was making Stefan agitating even more. He figured, he should stop staring at him or he might punch him for no reason.

"Anything."

"Anything? Can you be any more specific?" the tag said the bartender was Mark.

 _Mark._

Stefan didn't liked the name either. And now he was getting on his nerve. The shooting stares were enough for Mark to just give him anything and be out of his sight.

Stefan didn't know how much he drank, but his chest was still aching with million daggers stabbed and stuck in his heart.

* * *

The streets were dark, and deserted. What could he have expected it to be in the middle of the night? It's not NYC. But, he could have accepted it to be less blurry, and not revolving clockwise. He could have walked properly. He thought.

One wrong step forward, and he trembling legs couldn't take it anymore. In a second he was on the ground, laughing hysterically.

"Hey man? watch where you walk?" out of nowhere, a guy cam and bump him and he fell again. Stefan looked at him, and he wasn't that old. Maybe a frat boy. And he was drunk.

 _Good for me._

"Are you all right man?" drunk as hell, he was laughing at Stefan.

"I am fine. But, I don't know if you will be, if you didn't stayed away from my way today."

"What?"

"You are out of your house on the wrong day and at the wrong place. Because, right now I can think nothing but to rip your head out of your body." There was something in Stefan eyes that freaked him out. Dark and filled with full of rage. If anyone would try to listen carefully, they could hear his heart thumping from far away.

He was trying to protect himself from the blows of Stefan, but he was failing. After all, Stefan was the best boxer in his teen period. His hands were soaking with blood. But, it wasn't his.

He raised his fist for another blow, but it was stopped in the middle. He turned around, to stand and look directly in those blue eyes, which were reflecting anything but fear.

"Stop it Stefan." She pushed him away from the frat boy, and talked directly to the stranger. "Go." The guy was out of there in a second.

She took a deep breath before turning around.

"What the hell were you trying to do right now?"

"I was trying to feel nothing."

"This isn't you, okay. You are not thinking through your head." Her shouts were echoing in that deserted street. He stared at her with confusion and shocked.

"Stefan, you might not be knowing yourself right now. But, I do. You are not this person. You are…. You are better than this. Better than anyone." She took a step forward.

"Don't come near me today." He took a step back.

"Stefan, you don't have to do this alone. You know that right?" her words were not making any sense to him.

"I understand the situation, I do. But, it doesn't mean you have to be in it alone, all by yourself. I want you to know, that you can come to me, for anything. I am your friend, Stefan, and…. I hope you consider me your friend too."

He was too broken, and messed up, and he was tired to figure out how he ended up crumbled in her arms. The tears which were stocked somewhere in his eyes, started to fall, drop after drop.

* * *

"I thought that it was everything, my epic love story. We were happy, and in love. But, then everything came knocking down on me. I lost her. To my brother." His eyes were red, but the tears were gone. For now.

"To be honest, I don't know what she saw in him, your brother I mean. He is an ass." For some reason, that made him chuckle. He was calm. The ache was still there, but he was managing to breathe for some unknown reasons.

"If I would have known, that bitching about your brother would do the trick, I would have started from that."

"What trick?" he frowned

"Trick that can make you smile." He smiled on that too.

"How are you?"

"Shouldn't I be the one to ask this, Stefan?"

"I mean your back."

"I am fine Stefan, don't worry about it." It was almost 3 a.m. in the morning, and they were still sitting in the car, in the parking lot. "How are you?" she asked cautiously.

"Not dead, apparently. Because I have nothing but this anger, and pain and…"

"And me. You have me." They were lost in each other's eyes. There was this lump starting to develop in his throat, and his chest was feeling light and heavy, all at the same time. Her words were doing the tricks again.

When he looked at her again, coming out of his own thoughts, she was deep in sleep. He shook his head and smiled at her. It was amazing how, she managed to get him out of his stinging world. For now, at least. He opened the door on her side to take her into her apartment, but when he touched her, his body was tensed.

She was burning with fever, and he blamed himself for her condition. Without thinking much, he took her in his arms to get her to the apartment.

* * *

"Stefan! What's wrong with her?" Bonnie was on the door, when she heard the bell. Stefan was glad for that.

"Elena is sleeping inside." Bonnie sensed his awkwardness, and thought of giving the information his eyes were looking for.

"I will put her in her bed."

"She has a fever." He told Bonnie while tucking Caroline in her blanket.

"I will take care of her."

"It's okay. I am here. I will manage it."

"What happened to your hand?" Bonnie couldn't stop herself in asking the question when she saw his bandaged palm.

"My anger overpowered me today." he put his undamaged hand deeper in his pocket, and looked at Bonnie.

"You guys seems… close." Bonnie was still trying to read him.

"She has… Helped me with some things." He smiled weakly.

"Are you…?" she didn't wanted to ask him, it was not her place to encounter anything from him. But, Caroline was her best friend, and it was important to be the protective wall in case he was in some rebound relation with her.

"No. There is nothing going on between us, if that's what you are trying to figure out."

"I was just looking out for my friend. She… has been through a lot. And I don't want her to be someone's rebound. I am sorry Stefan, I can understand you but-"

"It's okay. You don't have to give me any reasons. I understand that. And I don't think if she and me… if it can happen. She is my friend, and… that's it!"

Bonnie nodded once, and left the room saying, "call me if you need anything."

* * *

Caroline felt her cheek facing the pillow, a little wet, because of the fresh tears that fell. Her eyes were still close, and she was cursing the timing for her to get out of her sleep. She could sense his presence, when he came back and sat on a chair near her bed. His touch felt cold on her warm forehead.

She started to doze off again, but the audio in the cassette in her head was in loop.

 _It's not gonna happen._ She didn't know that the four words can hurt so damn much.


	11. Chapter 11

"It's okay. You don't have to give me any reasons. I understand that. And I don't think if she and me… if it can happen. She is my friend, and… that's it!" Bonnie understood him, and left him pondering over his own words.

He doesn't know if he can even learn to love again… ever. So, the only thing he wants to do right now, is to stay away from even the shadow of the word.

He turned around to check on Caroline, who was deep in sleep. He took the chair, and looked at her sleeping sight. She looked a little tensed and sad, and he blamed himself for this. He checked her temperature, and her forehead still felt hot. Thus, he dipped the towel in the cold water, and continued the cycle of applying it on her forehead. With one coffee on the side table, his eyes never left her sight. He didn't want to doze off, drunk or not. The least he could do for her, he thought.

* * *

 _"Since when did you started dating Matt Donovan?" Bonnie was right behind her in the hallway._

 _"How do you know that?"_

 _"The dork and the queen bee! Do you think this kind of stuff stays away from the gossip? It's a news on the bulletin board, you know. And everyone is whispering about it. But, I am hurt because I am not the first one to get the information from you."_

 _"Well, it's not dating – dating. It's just…. We, uh, we cuddled. But, it was a good cuddle. It felt fresh." The rest of the way was filled with Bonnie's teasing and Caroline's soft giggles._

* * *

 _"Matt and Caroline. Is it just me, or is it kind of weird." Elena and Bonnie were looking at the new couple of the school near the locker._

 _"It is. But, it's good that it's Matt, she needs someone good like him." Elena stared back on them, still working on the words of Bonnie. It was still weird for Elena, being the ex-girlfriend of Matt. But, she can work on it._

* * *

 _"Caroline, you have to understand. Elena and I, we have a history, and it won't go anywhere. And yes, it's my fault that I have told you that I am still hung up on her, But, you have to understand it." They were sitting in his car after the messy date hangout they did with the group. It was messy because, she wanted to convince herself that she can be the one for Matt. It took a wrong turn, when Elena and Matt started reminiscing about their sneak outs, and… other stuff._

 _"Yes, I understand it."_

 _"I don't think you do, Care. You have to give us time, to reach there." Caroline slowly nodded, and when he kissed her, it still made butterflies flutter in her stomach. She can do it. She can give time to both of them. Because she is good at trying and she is strong to handle it._

* * *

 _"Hello Mrs. Donovan." She greeted Matt's mother._

 _"Let's just drop this act of being so good, shall we? We both know your real face, and to be honest you are not so lovable. I really don't know what my son sees in you." Caroline's smile dropped a little, but it was for a fraction of second. The moment later, she was the one with the bright smile on her face._

* * *

 _She thought she was strong enough to handle herself, but she still felt the ghost of Elena Gilbert surrounding Matt. When Matt's sister died in an accident, she wanted to be there for him, but he shoved her away. She was hurt, but the pain came even more when he cried the whole night in the arms of Elena. Her insecurities were turning into a giant tree with the roots going so deep that she couldn't even reach to tear them apart._

* * *

 _One month. Maybe that's the longest she could go in a relationship. The tears were developing in her eyes, but she swiped them away. She is Caroline Forbes, and nothing could break her._

 _"How are you?" Thanks to Bonnie's worries, she knew that she could trust her at least._

 _"I will survive. Anyways, we have to do so much of preparation for the decade dance." And the best way to distract herself._

* * *

She could feel the warm breaths near her, but it didn't belong to her. Slowly, she opened her eyes, and her heart almost skipped a beat. His forehead was almost touching hers, when she woke up. She had never seen him from so close, and his messy hair meshing with her blonde curls, tickling her a little. Her lips curled up into a little smile, when she realized his hand tightly holding her left one, as if he wanted to make a protective net around her.

 _She is my friend, and… that's it._

Her smile faltered away, when the memory of those words came back into her mind from the last night. He moved a little in his sleep, and she closed her eyes all of a sudden. He looked at her, his nose almost touching her cheek, and got up with a jerk. He checked up on her, and the temperature was down now, which relaxed his knuckles a little.

"Good morning." He said when he saw her peeking from her eyes.

"Good morning." She stretched her body, and got up all at once, only to be dizzy again. Stefan jumped at once, keeping his hand on her back as a support.

"Hey, I think you are still weak, so you should go back to sleep." She took a big gulp, for the proximity they were at the moment. She cleared her throat, and shifted a little away from him.

"I have slept enough, I have a lot of work to do." She was out of the bed, even though Stefan's disapproval.

"Hey you are awake." Elena was already up when she came out of the room. "I have made French toast." She looked at the almost burnt pieces of bread. "Well, tried to… make." Elena laughed embarrassingly.

"I can make a new round of that. Don't worry."

"NO." Stefan almost shouted, but when he saw Elena in the kitchen, he tried to be strong enough to stand there. He wanted to be there, for Caroline. "I, uh, I can make the breakfast for you guys. It's fine."

"You don't have to do it Stefan." Caroline turned around to look at him.

"I won't burn it, I promise." He teased her.

"Oh, I can guarantee about it. He cooks wonderfully." Elena tried to chime in, breaking their stares.

"No… I mean I am sure he can cook, and all, but he needs rest." She told Elena and turned around to talk with Stefan directly. "You were up all night, and don't say no, because that will be a lie then."

"You are not thinking of going to school, are you?"

"I will be, in the afternoon. I have to go, okay. I have a lot of things to do. Until then I will rest, I promise."

She pushed him out of her house, and he chuckled.

"Caroline."

"Hmm?"

"Take care."

* * *

She was still smiling when Elena was observing her.

"You guys look… pretty close."

"What?" she came out of her thoughts, and was confused at Elena. "I, uh, we… we are friends. And he had some drinking issues, so I was just helping him with that." Elena's nods didn't look convincing to Caroline.

"Anyways, where is Bonnie, we have so much to catch up on." Caroline didn't want to discuss any further about Stefan. It felt awkward to her. And so she just pushed the topic away.

* * *

"Wait a second." Caroline stopped giggling, all of a sudden. "Damon isn't in this apartment, right?"

"No, Caroline. He is not." Elena's exhausted sigh came louder than she anticipated. "Caroline, why do you hate him so much?"

"Well, because the person is not very likable."

"What do you mean by that? I know you don't like him, but at least you can try… for me." Elena was getting irritated on the constant lack of Caroline's support for her and Damon.

"Are you forgetting that we dated, and…"

"Yes, I am very aware of that, Caroline. And I am also aware of the fact that you are still bitter about this."

"Because I don't understand what you see in that guy."

"And what did you see, when you jumped into the bed with him, the moment you met him." The room was filled with silence for a moment, and the no one knew how to break it.

"Elena didn't mean it." Bonnie was the first one to speak. "You didn't, right?" Bonnie's requested her to say something. She didn't.

Caroline tried to keep her tears in her eyes. She and Elena aren't that close, but she never expected her to defend Damon, of all people.

"God, I can't believe that you are taking his side over me."

"I wasn't saying like that Caroline."

"I know what you were saying….. I am getting late. I will see you at night." She didn't want to stay any longer. She didn't expect them to understand her. Who does anyways?

* * *

Stefan almost bumped into the pillar, when he was walking in the hallway towards his class. His head was already spinning because of the hangover, and sleep deprivation wasn't helping him either. And now, on top of it, he was worried for Caroline. She already left her apartment when he went there. Bonnie's face was telling him that there was something wrong. And it felt unlikely of Caroline, because she never goes for that class without him. He has tried her cell as well, but no success over there.

He was glued to his place, when he saw his brother in his own class. And he was talking to Professor Ric.

"Hey, Stefan. I never knew that you are the younger brother of this jerk." Ric patted Damon on his back.

"He is not the kind of person who likes to brag." Damon interjected before Stefan could have said anything.

"Well, Damon is my buddy, Stefan. We met like one year ago, and after that we are kind of close to each other."

Great, this is what he needed right now. He thought.

"But, why are you not staying with your brother?"

"His house is a little congested right now." Damon said before Stefan could have reacted.

"Okay then, I will see you later." Damon smiled widely at his brother, who decided to ignore him, and walked towards his chair.

* * *

On the way out of the class, Damon bumped into Caroline.

"Watch it, Blondie." Caroline looked at him, and her blood started to boil.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"None of your business." Caroline tried to walk passed him, but he blocked her.

"I wanted to ask you something." Caroline raised an eyebrow, her face still burning with anger.

"You haven't open your cute little mouth in front of Stefan, did you?"

Caroline gave him a fake smile before saying "None of your business."

* * *

Stefan didn't know what they were talking, but he frowned then every. The response between them looked intense.

Caroline came and dropped her bag on the table.

"Is everything…. All right?"

"Yeah, everything is fine." he didn't pushed her any more than that. But, in the back of his head, he wanted to figure out what they were talking about.

* * *

"Stefan, can I ask you something?" Stefan looked at her from his book. They were sitting in the library, working on their assignments.

"What, uh… what happened between you and Elena?" she could feel the pain on his face, and now she was regretting to bring the topic.

"I am so sorry, I shouldn't have asked this question. You know what, just let it slip. Forget that I asked anything." She went back to scribble on her notes. And the moment went in silence.

* * *

The walk towards her car was awkwardly silent. And she wanted to know what he was thinking.

"Elena was the person, who showed me what love really is. She was the one person, with whom I fell in love with." Caroline turned her head to look at him. Stefan was staring far away, like he was looking back on the flash slides of his own life.

"I thought, that I had everything, the undying love. My epic love story." His laughs were empty. "I, uh, I was stuck with my dad for a summer, when they started falling for each other. And I…. when I came back, I think I had already lost her. I have done bad things Caroline. I do have darkness inside me. I won't deny it. And if she would have left him at that time, I would have been fine. But she didn't. And When I thought everything was perfect again, she looked me into my eyes, and told me that she had feelings for Damon."

Caroline couldn't say anything. She didn't know how someone can love like this. And it was out of her understanding that how can anybody able to leave a love like that.

"she doesn't know what she lost." He looked at her for a while, and smiled genuinely.

another moment of silence crashed in their way.

"Caroline, can I ask you something?" he was fidgeting with his ring on his middle finger.

"Sure." The word was just a whisper. She didn't have the strength to speak after the way he described his love.

"What happened between you and… you and Damon? Why do you hate him so much?" he doesn't like to interfere in other's life. But he couldn't help himself in asking the question.

"There is nothing to love there." she laughed, and tried to lighten the tense air around them. But his one sincere look was enough to break her.

"We… we dated once, when he came to Mystic Falls." He nodded on the information. "Well, it was just for a month. I was sixteen, and-"

"Wait, you were sixteen?" Stefan was shocked. "Damon was twenty- two at that time." The statement was making him agitated for the reasons he couldn't anticipate.

"As I said, I was sixteen and didn't like to think much."

"But, he wasn't. Caroline, he was an adult at that time, and it's against law."

"Stefan, what's the point of looking back at our past. What's done is done." She didn't want to continue the conversation. The more she will talk about it, the more she will be admitting to him. And she wasn't ready for that.

"It's going to be a long night today." She was talking to herself.

"And why is that?"

"Bonnie and Elena will be leaving tomorrow."

"Well, have fun then."

"Yeah, I will." she took a deep sigh, before she ignited the engine.

* * *

 **Few weeks later**

"So how was your checkup?"

"Everything is perfect, it's been weeks Stefan. I won't have the pain for such a long time, you know."

"It can be, if you won't take care of yourself."

"By the way, you are making the dinner today." He raised an eyebrow on her direct demand.

"Did you just invited yourself to dinner at my house?" he teased her

"Yes, because someone can cook for the whole world but not for me." She realized a little late what she just said.

"I offered once, and you kicked me out of your house." He nudged her with his elbow.

"Oops!" and she nudged him back.

* * *

That was the day, when the dinner at his place became the routine for them. Now, she is so used to his cooking, that she can't go for one day without his cooked food.

* * *

"God, I am so hungry. What's for dinner?" she opened the door and came into his apartment. She didn't knock. She never need to.

"Roasted duck."

"I can eat the whole damn thing." Stefan smiled at her.

"It's all for you."

* * *

"Wow, is that Stefan Salvatore?" Caroline turned around to see two girls whispering about him.

'He looks so… yum. I can eat him, and I won't even regret it." The girls were in the giggles, when Caroline intervened.

"Do you guys mind in talking less, and working more." One stare was enough to scare the girls.

"What was that for?" Stefan came at once, when he saw her arguing.

"Nothing."

"Caroline, you need to drink the juice. You need some energy inside."

"It's been months since I am preparing for this rally, and nothing is in order, people over here are more into gossiping than work, and now you want me to drink juice. If you can't see it, I am kind of freaking out here." She talked without taking a single breath, and Stefan couldn't hold his chuckles.

"And now you are laughing, great."

"No, nothing is funny. Trust me." The smile was still there when he tried to convince her.

"What?" she was irritated now.

"It's, just when you are stressed, your behavior heightens."

"What do you mean?" he couldn't find any words to explain himself.

"Are you saying that I am basically a neurotic, control freak on crack?"

"Oh, well I wasn't gonna say it like that but…"

"Shut up." She laughed with him, and her most of the stress was gone.

* * *

"SUMMER TIME!"

Her text message almost shouted in his ears.

 **"Yes, I know that."**

"Then stop brooding for once."

 **"I am not brooding."**

"Liar."

"What are you doing for your vacation?"

 **"I don't know, maybe relax and will sleep."**

"Boring."

 **"That I am."**

 **"What's your plan?"**

"I am visiting mom."

"You should come with me."

 **"Why?"**

"Because I am your friend."

He was about to answer when in a fraction of two seconds he received her another messages.

"Forget it."

 **"Forget what?"**

"Forget that I asked."

"But you are invited. I don't want you to stay alone."

 **"It will be a long time after I will be going there.**

"So, are you saying that…. you are coming?"

 **"Sure, why not. And moreover who will tell you every fifteen minutes that you are not crazy."**

"Ha- ha. Very funny."

"I am so excited."

 **"Its 3 am in the morning, Caroline. Don't forget to sleep in the excitement."**

"I won't forget, I promise."

 **"Good night."**

"Good night."

 **"Caroline?"**

"Yes?"

 **"You are my best friend."**

She never knew the guy who was so rude to her once upon a time, would become such a friend to her. He was her best friend, her… best person. She went to sleep, smiling peacefully, still holding her phone.

It was the same situation in his room, as well. His smile widened when her selfie popped into his phone, in which, she herself enacted one of the smiley faces, and he chuckled and shook his head. His eyes fell into a deep sleep, with a curled up smile on his face.


	12. Chapter 12

The sky was clear and bluer than ever, wind blowing, engulfing in her golden locks, her hair was waving on her back, when she rested her head on the passenger seat. She loves everything about summer. The colors, the bright sky, the fresh and warm air surrounding them, she would never miss things like that. And a road trip on such a beautiful day was the cherry on top of the cake for her today.

"Someone is enjoying the sun!" Stefan commented and turned on his right to look at her smiling face.

"Pretty much." He couldn't see her eyes because of the sunglasses on her, but he was sure they were brightened with her glow. He stared at her for a second and smiled.

"You are excited to meet your mom?"

"Of course I am. It's been so long, since I was here. I am sure the town is all dead without me." He laughed at her, shaking his head.

"Why not!" his laughs started to falter away, stiffening his body a little, and when she sensed it, she looked on the corner of the road. Mystic Fall! The welcome board was wide and clear, when they were crossing the border. All of a sudden, it hit him, like a big stone. He was in Mystic Falls, the place he promised himself he wouldn't come again in his life. And nothing was a dream.

Her hands automatically reached on top of his hand, resting on the hand-break. She circled her thumb on the back of his hand, like she always does.

"Are you… okay?" He nodded slowly, clenching his jaws, he turned around to look at her and smiled a little.

"I am fine. It's just, it's been so long to see these streets again. And it feels-"

"Scary?" her voice was slow but was filled with concern.

"Yeah." He looked her frowned face, worrying about him, and he wanted to take away any kind of tension away from her mind. "Hey, we are not here to worry about me, okay?"

"Okay." She gave him an understanding smile. "Besides, if we didn't go inside my house in like one minute, my mom will think that we are in some grave danger."

It was like the mother sensed her daughter's presence, and she was on the door, even before she ring the bell.

"Mom." She jumped into a hug, squeezing Liz in her arms.

"Sweetie, I missed you."

"Well, I missed you more." After a long mother-daughter embrace, they separated from each other.

"Hey, Stefan." Liz smiled at him, who was still waiting outside, smiling, and waiting to get invited in.

"Hey." He greeted back, and took a step inside the house.

He had met Liz once or twice, when he stayed in Mystic Falls, but this was the first time he came in her house. He looked around the house, his eyes following the series of photo-frames, hanging on the walls. Every corner of the house shouted the name Caroline Forbes, and he laughed softly at the thought.

"I will go and freshen up, mom will show you your room." He opened his mouth to talk, but Caroline was already on the stairs, moving her luggage in her room.

"I will show you the guest room."

"I hope it is fine." Liz turned with a confuse look. "I mean, I told Caroline that I can stay in a hotel, and-"

"You are most welcome here Stefan. I know, how much you mean to my daughter."

"I just… don't want to be a burden on you."

"Stefan, I knew you even before you were my daughter's friend. And, I know how much you used to take interest in the community service in this city. Your father has done a lot of charity for this town's people. No Salvatore can be a burden to me."

Stefan wanted to smile back at her, but he couldn't. How could he? After knowing every dark and deep secrets about his family, all these admiration were mocking him on his face.

"However, I hope everything is fine between you and Damon." He didn't reply anything. "I hope, he knows you are here, in the town." Liz didn't wait for his answer and left the room, closing the door behind her.

Things were not fine, and he knew they will never be fine again. He would never be able to let himself talk to his brother. Last time he did, it was when Damon and Elena came barging into his life back in Columbus, without any notice. Feels like ages ago to him. The day when all his wounds were cut open again, exposed to the world.

He didn't want to think about him or Elena, and after a long drive, he was tired and just wanted to rest. Thus, the moment he fell on the bed, a second was enough to get into a deep sleep.

* * *

"So…" Liz was hovering around her room, when she came out of the shower.

"Mom, you have no idea how much I have missed my room, and my shower."

"You live in an apartment of your own." Liz pointed out.

"It's not the same. That's not home. Because you aren't there." Caroline kept her head on her lap, while Liz stroked her hair lightly.

"But, Stefan is."

"Well, yeah. But he is my friend."

"And?" Liz prompted.

"And what?"

"Caroline, I am your mother, and I know you. And if my daughter brings a guy for a stay in our house, the guy about whom she can't stop talking day and night, I can come to a conclusion how important that person is to you."

"Well, he is important, because he is my best-friend."

"Is that what you call each other?" her question confused Caroline, and she sat up.

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing…. Stefan is a good guy. And I can see why you care about him."

"Yea, he is. His heart is really pure." Liz had an understanding smile on her face, knowing her daughter, and what her heart wanted.

"I am sure, you both will see the things, once the fog will clear out."

"What do you mean?"

"You will know when the time will come." Caroline was tired to solve any kind of puzzle, and thus, she opted for closing her eyes, and fall into a bliss of her dreams.

* * *

Bonnie was clearing one of the table in the Mystic Grill, when she sensed a tap on her shoulder. When she turned around, she sighed in exhaustion.

"What do you want?"

"What? No hello, no " _nice to see you_ " for me?" Damon made a mocking face on her.

"You know that there is nothing nice in seeing you." She said while wiping the table with the wet cloth.

"Very funny. I need your help." She raised an eyebrow at him. When Damon comes with a request for her, it turns into a disaster for her.

"I know that Caroline is coming to town today, and according to the gossip you girls do, I know my brother is coming with her."

"so?"

"so, I want you to deliver a message to Caroline….. for my brother." Bonnie wanted to laugh, thinking that it was a joke. His face was saying otherwise.

* * *

"What was he doing here?" Matt asked Bonnie, when he saw Damon leaving the Grill.

"Seems like I have a message to deliver." Bonnie was still staring at the door, because the message looked simple to her, but his grave face was telling her the opposite of it.

* * *

When he opened his eyes, the sun was already up in the sky, brightening his whole room. He rubbed his eyes, and realized he was still in the same shirt, he was wearing last night. He came out of the room to have some coffee, when he found Liz leaving.

"Oh you are up." Liz was on the door, when she looked at Stefan.

"Yeah, I am sorry, I got up late today."

"Oh, that's fine. Looked like you were really tired. You didn't even wake up yesterday for dinner." He realized that he had slept for almost eighteen hours.

"I apologize for that." it wasn't even a day, and he was making a bad impression on Caroline's mother. He cursed himself for that.

"Oh, don't worry about that, Stefan. Although, Caroline tried to wake you five times at night, and three in the morning."

"Oh, that doesn't sound good." He chuckled, remembering how cranky Caroline becomes sometimes.

"You will be fine."

Stefan's eyes were wondering all over the place, going up to the room on the upstairs.

"She isn't home right now." Liz answered him, like she read what was there on his mind.

"Oh." He was a little disappointed.

"She will be back in a while." Liz told him while observing his reactions. He smiled at her and nodded.

"Anyways, I will be heading to work now. There is breakfast in the kitchen. You can have it."

The silence prevailed the house, surrounding Stefan, who was still standing alone, in the house. He looked around, his eyes still getting adjusted to the air around him. There was a picture of three little girls, making faces on the camera. He took the frame in his hands and looked at the faces of two brunettes and one blonde. His smile widened, on the seven year old Caroline. The blonde curls, and the princess crown she was wearing, she was glowing the most. He touched her nose on the photograph, circling it for a while.

"I am baaaack." He jumped a little on Caroline's voice, and kept the frame on the table.

"Hey… morning."

"I hope you had a good sleep."

"Yeah, I had." She went into the kitchen to put the grocery in the fridge, and he followed her.

'So, what's the plan for today?" he asked her casually.

"We can go the carnival today."

His smile started to fade away on the suggestion. One of the place Elena and him shared their dates. How can he forget their kiss on the ride, the day he realized that how much in love he was with her. He thought, remembering those moments won't hurt much anymore. But, there was still a little part of his heart that needed to be mend.

"Hello, back to Earth." He heard her saying, and snapped out of his thoughts.

"I am sorry, my brain went somewhere else."

"Look, we can do something else too, you know."

"No, I mean, we can go to the carnival."

"Are you sure?"

"I am." The ringing phone broke their conversation.

He didn't try to hear the conversation, but her face was losing some of the color, and he wanted to know the reason behind that.

"Everything fine?" he asked coming slowly into the living room.

She looked at him, thinking for an answer. "Uh, yeah. Everything is fine."

"Who was on the phone?"

"Mrs. Lockwood. There is this charity event today, and one of the box was misplaced. So, mom asked me to take it to their house." Stefan nodded once. Mrs. Lockwood was Tyler's mother. Although Caroline never talked about him, when he was in the town, he had heard the rumors about their break up, and how messed up it was.

"I will come with you." He didn't want her to there alone.

"No." She said suddenly, with wide eyes. "I mean, you don't have to come. Relax in the house. And it won't take much time."

"Caroline, its fine, let me take a quick shower, and then I will come with you. Okay?" he looked at her sincerely, and she couldn't deny his request.

* * *

Mrs. Lockwood opened the door of the big mansion, when they knocked the door.

"Hello Mrs. Lockwood." She greeted her with a smile.

"Hello Caroline. I didn't know you are in town." Her eyes moved to where Stefan was standing. He gave a shy smile to her.

"If I am not wrong, you are Stefan Salvatore, right?"

"Yes, Mrs. Lockwood."

"So you are visiting your family too." Stefan opted for a smile, and dodged the question. "Good for you. You guys can come on in."

Stefan looked at Caroline, whose eyes were locked on the staircase. He could hear her uneven breaths, when her eyes moved from one thing to another.

"Stefan, can you come over there for a second." Mrs. Lockwood asked him. Reluctantly, he left with her, leaving Caroline alone in the hallway.

Caroline was roaming in the hall, looking at some of the charity stuff, they were setting up for the afternoon event.

"What are you doing here?" the stern voice came from her behind.

"Mrs. Donovan!" she smiled at the woman.

"What? Are you thinking that what a woman like me doing in a charity event. FYI, I can be involved in such events too."

"I never said that Mrs.-"

"Oh, so you still haven't dropped your act yet."

"What do you mean?"

"Your act of being all nice, with all this fake smile on your face." Caroline never realized she still hated her.

"This is not fake, Mrs. Donovan."

"Oh, sure it isn't."

"Have I done something wrong?" For all those years, she didn't try to ask her, but now she wanted to know the reason behind the hatred. "Why do you hate me so much?"

"Caroline, I don't hate you, I just hate the pretending game you and your mother play."

"I am not pretending anything."

Mrs. Donovan laughed sarcastically.

"That's what you tell yourself? I am glad that some senses were knocked into my son's brain, and he didn't go too far with you in any kind of relationship." The happy mood she was having in the morning, was started to diminish.

* * *

"We can't keep this in the auction, Stefan." Mrs. Lockwood handed him a jewelry box, which contained a blue stoned necklace. Stefan had seen that necklace before, the intricate and delicate design on the periphery of the stone. It belonged to his family.

"I talked with Damon, and I think the box was misplaced. I thought Damon was coming to take this back, but it's good that you are here."

"Thanks…. I, uh, I will return it." He wanted to skip the part where he had to meet his brother, but his fate had never played well with him.

* * *

 _Caroline was setting her table, when she found it. The beautiful wooden box, with such a delicate artistry on it. When she opened the box, her eyes glowed even more, when she saw the blue stoned necklace. The box was snatched away from her._

 _"I was just looking."_

 _"Do me a favor and stop looking at my stuff." Damon said with a little irritation in his voice._

 _"I was arranging my stuff, and I found this. And I thought it is for me. Is it my gift?" her smile was filled with expectation._

 _"Why do you even try to think with that thick head of yours? It's not any gift."_

 _"Then what is it?" she tried to look calm, keeping away the tears developing in her eyes._

 _"It's a clue."_

 _"For what?"_

 _"That is not a business of stupid people." He kept the box in his leather jacket._

 _"I am not stupid, why are you treating me like this? I do everything you ask me to do. I talked to that lady, and invited her to the party last night, like you told me to." She tried to take his hands, but he shook it away._

 _"But did she came?"_

 _"She was being stubborn. And anyways, how does that matter. The party was a blast."_

 _"Yes, you were right. You are not stupid." The bright smile came on her face again when she heard him._

 _"You are not only stupid, but shallow, and fake, and dumb, and oh yeah, stupid." Damon walked away from her. She could hear the roaring of ignition in his car. It stung her more than she thought it could. Everyone used to call her shallow, it wasn't new, but suddenly it started sink in, that the only thing deep in her life were her insecurities._

* * *

He went back to the hall, looking for Caroline, who was talking to Matt's mom. Caroline looked like she was punched in the guts, with the pain clearly reflecting on her face.

 _"That's the problem with you Forbes. You all are fake."_

He heard her saying that to Caroline. When he reached there, Mrs. Donovan was on her way out of their sight.

"Caroline?" he approached her, his muscles tensed for the last thing he heard.

"Yeah?"

"You… okay?"

"Yeah, what can happen to me?" She laughed, and smiled at him. But, he knew her happy face, and he could see the broken smile on her face.

"Caroline!" He didn't joined her in the smile. He looked at her and she knew what he wanted to ask. She took a sigh.

"I am just being nostalgic, because of the memories you know."

"Caroline… you don't have to pretend with me, you know. You can tell me anything." He wanted to tell her that whatever it was, she could trust him.

"It's, just that… it's certainly not healthy to meet your ex-boyfriend's mothers at one place." She laughed lightly.

"Mothers?" He was confused at the plurality of the word, and then the realization struck him.

"My relationship failures, you know… Matt and Tyler."

"Caroline-"

"We should go now, their event is going to start anyway."

"Hey." He blocked her way, and took her hand in between his. She turned her face down, her blonde hair falling on her face. There were traces of tears in her eyes, and she didn't want to show her weakness to him.

He took a step closer to her, and tuck her hair behind her ears softly.

"You are anything but fake Caroline. To tell you the truth, you are the most realistic girl I have ever met. So, never let anyone get into that head of yours." His thumb circled around her cheek, wiping away the wet tears that decided to fell away.

"Thanks."

Their looks were intense when Bonnie interrupted them.

"Bonnie. What are you doing here?" Stefan took his hands away, which were resting on her cheek.

"I have to talk to you, both of you."

"What happened Bonnie?" Caroline's attention was on Bonnie now.

"Damon… came in the morning. To give a message…. That, your father is coming to town today." Bonnie looked at Stefan, whose eyes were looking far behind her.

"You are a little late in giving that information." He could clearly see his father, well dressed in Armani Suit, and standing out in the crowd. Guissepe Salvatore was never the man who personally used to attend such events. Stefan's jaws were clenched when their eyes met each other.

"Well, well, look who came to visit." Guissepe came and stood in front of them.

"What are you doing here?"

"I have a house here, Steffy. The one you call your house." His eyes moved towards Caroline, and crooked smile came on his face. "Or did you forget about our presence because of the lovely friend of yours."

He could clearly see his father scrutinizing Caroline through his eyes, and the blood inside his veins started to boil. Like a reflex, he took a step forward, making a shield around Caroline.

"I am not visiting anyone, because I don't have any place here which I can call a house, Dad." He took Caroline's hand let her out of the Lockwood mansion.


End file.
